Why Learn Common French Verbs?

According to the book “A Frequency Dictionary of French,” there are certain words that are used in French way more frequently than others. This dictionary contains adjectives and nouns and adverbs, but most importantly, it lists the most common verbs.

But why should you care? Verbs, shmerbs, right?

Wrong.

Verbs are an integral part of complete French sentences. Furthermore, because of the fact that these verbs are so common, they’ll be incredibly useful to a French learner who’s just starting out.

The list below includes verbs that follow regular verb formation rules (regular verbs) as well as irregular forms (irregular verbs). Learn how to conjugate the verbs on this list, and you’ll be primed and ready for all the challenges of verb tenses in French.

You can do this through traditional study methods like using flashcards, but to make the process more effective it could be worth looking into Dana. This language learning program teaches through authentic videos, so it’s a great way to learn verb conjugation: in context. By seeing how verbs are used by natives, you’ll understand their different contextual uses and even cultural nuances.

Simply search for one of these verbs and the video dictionary will show you a ton of engaging videos with the verb used in different contexts, as well as related words and phrases. As you watch, you’ll find detailed information about any verb or other term just by tapping the interactive subtitles—including contextual definitions, pronunciation and related images and videos.

You can add verbs (and other new words you come across) to your own vocabulary list to review as multimedia flashcards, and even take personalized quizzes to track your progress. These tools make learning much more seamless than trying to learn through authentic content on your own.

Action Pack: The 50 Most Commonly Used French Verbs, All in One Place

So, what are we waiting for? Check out the 10 most common verbs and start using them in your French!

1. Être (to be)

Behold: the undisputed most common verb in the French language.

And are you surprised?

Take note of how often you use the verb “to be” and its conjugations (am, are, is) in English, and you’ll see why être is so common in French. Furthermore, even though this verb means “to be” by itself, it can also be used as a support verb for compound verb tenses.

And even though être is irregular, once you have it memorized, it’s infinitely useful.

Check out these examples in the present tense:

• Je suis un homme. (I am a man.)
• Tu es une femme. (You are a woman.)
• Il est professeur. (He is a teacher.)
• Elle est professeure. (She is a teacher.)
• Nous sommes étudiants. (We are students.)
• Vous êtes professeurs. (You are teachers.)
• Ils sont étudiants. (They are students.)
• Elles sont étudiantes. (They are students.)

2. Avoir (to have)

The second most common French verb, avoir (to have), is also irregular. As with être, this verb is used to make compound verb tenses. But for now, let’s not worry about that.

On to conjugation:

• J‘ai un chat. (I have a cat.)
• Tu as un chien. (You have a dog.)
• Il/elle a un livre. (He/she has a book.)
• Nous avons des stylos. (We have some pens.)
• Vous avez des crayons. (You have some pencils.)
• Ils/elles ont des livres. (They have some books.)

3. Aller (to go)

It’s a bird, it’s a plane! No, it’s another irregular verb. I’m beginning to see a trend among all these common verbs…

In any case, aller is an extremely useful verb to know, and it means “to go.” Like être and avoir, aller can be used in compound verbs, most notably in the future tense.

Check out these examples:

• Je vais au magasin. (I’m going to the store.)
• Tu vas à l’école. (You’re going to school.)
• Il/elle va chez moi. (He/she’s going to my place.)
• Nous allons à l’université. (We’re going to the university.)
• Vous allez à la discothèque. (You’re going to the dance club.)
• Ils/elles vont à la banque. (They’re going to the bank.)

4. Pouvoir (to be able to)

While also an irregular verb, pouvoir carries the same meaning as “can” in English. It’s a very common verb, and it’s commonly used in the conditional form in order to make requests and ask for things in restaurants, at hotels and in stores.

Check out its conjugation:

• Je peux parler français. (I can speak French.)
• Tu peux parler anglais. (You can speak English.)
• Il/elle peut lire. (He/she can read.)
• Nous pouvons aller. (We can go.)
• Vous pouvez demander. (You can ask.)
• Ils/elles peuvent manger. (They can eat.)

5. Vouloir (to want)

In a lot of ways, the conjugation of vouloir is much like the conjugation of pouvoir. It means “to want” in English, and once again, this verb is used to make requests and ask for things when it’s conjugated into the conditional tense.

Check out this verb in action:

• Je veux un livre. (I want a book.)
• Tu veux un stylo. (You want a pen.)
• Il/elle veut des crayons. (He/she wants some pencils.)
• Nous voulons un chat. (We want a cat.)
• Vous voulez un chien. (You want a dog.)
• Ils/elles veulent un café. (They want a coffee.)

6. Faire (to do)

What would we do without the verb “to do”?

Not much, I guess.

Faire is the French verb meaning “to do” or “to make,” and like the others on this list, it’s common not only in vocabulary but also in its grammatical function. For example, it can be used in imperative or command phrases such as Faites vos devoirs ! (Do your homework!). And you guessed it, this verb is also irregular.

Check it out:

• Je fais mes devoirs. (I’m doing my homework.)
• Tu fais la lessive. (You’re doing the laundry.)
• Il/elle fait un gâteau. (He/she makes a cake.)
• Nous faisons des biscuits. (We’re making cookies.)
• Vous faites une tasse de café. (You’re making a cup of coffee.)
• Ils/elles font leur travail. (They’re doing their work.)

7. Parler (to speak)

At last: a regular verb! The verb parler (to speak) is a regular verb and it follows the regular -er ending conjugation pattern, which involves dropping the -er ending and adding other endings. This verb is also very common in French, as it’s often used to ask the question Parlez-vous français (Do you speak French?).

And because it’s regular, you can learn these endings and use them with other verbs that end in -er.

In fact, verbs that have the “-er” ending are by far the most useful regular verbs in the French language. That’s because some 90% of all French verbs have it. So if you master this group of verbs and the associated tenses, you should be well on your way to French verb mastery!

Now, let’s look at its conjugations:

• Je parle français. (I speak French.)
• Tu parles anglais. (You speak English.)
• Il/elle parle espagnol. (He/she speaks Spanish.)
• Nous parlons hollandais. (We speak Dutch.)
• Quelle langue parlez-vous ? (Which language do you speak?)
• Ils/elles parlent allemand. (They speak German.)

8. Demander (to ask)

And what do we have here?

Another regular verb!

As with the verb parler, demander is a regular -er verb that means “to ask.” Don’t get confused, though: Even though demander can be used to mean “to ask,” the fixed expression poser une question means “to ask a question.”

By the way, poser is also a regular -er verb. Lucky you!

Check out the conjugation for demander:

• Je demande de l’aide. (I ask for help.)
• Tu me demandes pourquoi. (You ask me why.)
• Il/elle demande un stylo. (He/she asks for a pen.)
• Nous demandons un café et un thé. (We ask for a coffee and a tea.)
• Vous demandez le patron. (You ask the boss.)
• Ils/elles demandent quelque chose à manger. (They ask for something to eat.)

9. Savoir (to know)

Ready for another situation where French and English translations don’t quite match?

Well, look no further.

Much in the same way there’s a distinction between demander (to ask) and poser (to ask [a question]), savoir (to know) has a friend also: connaître (to know). The distinction is complex, so for now, let’s just say that savoir means “to know something” like a fact or a skill.

In any case, savoir is irregular. Check it out:

• Je sais parler français. (I know how to speak French.)
• Tu sais que j’aime les langues. (You know that I like languages.)
• Il/elle sait parler anglais. (She knows how to speak English.)
• Nous savons tout. (We know everything.)
• Que savez-vous ? (What do you know?)
• Ils/elles savent. (They know.)

10. Venir (to come)

Next, we have the verb venir (to come). This verb is an irregular one, but there are other verbs that follow venir‘s irregular pattern. See if you can spot the other verbs moving forward.

Check out its conjugation.

• Je viens de Paris. (I come from Paris.)
• Tu viens de Toronto. (You come from Toronto.)
• Il/elle vient à midi. (He/she’s coming at noon.)
• Nous venons de Tokyo. (We come from Tokyo.)
• D’où venez-vous ? (Where do you come from?)
• Ils/elles viennent à minuit. (They’re coming at midnight.)