To conjugate verbs ending in "-ayer/-oyer/-uyer" in Le Présent tense, you follow the normal conjugation of "-ER" verbs, but the "y" becomes an "i" for "je/tu/il/elle/on/ils/elles".
Conjugation of ESSAYER (to try) in Le Présent (Indicatif) in French
| j'essaie | I try |
| tu essaies | You try(one person you know well) |
| il/elle/on essaie | He/She/We/one/people try |
| nous essayons | We try |
| vous essayez | You try (more than 1 person or formal) |
| ils/elles essaient | They try |
ATTENTION: For verbs in -AYER, in spoken French (including written dialogue in a play for example) an alternative version where the "y" is kept for all forms is frequently used (and also pronounced differently):
Il essaie de dormir.He's trying to sleep.
Il essaye de dormir.He's trying to sleep.
Je paie mon loyer tous les mois.I pay my rent every month.
Je paye mon loyer tous les mois.I pay my rent every month.
Note however that the nous and vous forms always take "y".
Common -AYER / -OYER / -UYER verbs
essayer (to try)
payer (to pay)
employer (to use/employ)
envoyer (to send)
nettoyer (to clean)
essuyer (to wipe)
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