Reminder:
The present participle is the -ing form of the verb in English. In French, it is never used to form a tense, and it is used much less often in French than English. it is used to describe the simultaneity of an action with another one, usually using 'tout en' or 'en' or how something happens using 'by'.
Ex: Je lis tout en écoutant de la musique. = I read while listening to music. (simultaneity)
Ex: J'apprends beaucoup en faisant mes devoirs. = I learn a lot by doing my homework. (how)
To form the present participle, you need the nous form of the present tense and then remove the -ons and add -ant. You might need to use 'tout en' / 'en' = 'while' or 'by'
Ex: (jouer - to play): Nous jouons = we play, en jouant - while playing. On discute en jouant aux cartes. We chat while playing cards.
Test your understanding below with a quick starter question!