The 20 most typical verbs in French

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Suppose you’ve received a deal with on the fundamentals of French? It’s time to take motion and type extra advanced sentences! Which suggests you’ll must know some widespread French verbs. 

Relying on who you’re talking to and the way effectively you already know them, you’ll need to conjugate verbs to match the context of your dialog. On this weblog, you’ll get a deal with on the fundamentals of French verbs within the current tense—together with conjugations for the highest 14 verbs on this listing—and the most typical methods native audio system use them.

Most typical verbs in French

Irregular French verbs: avoir, aller, être, and faire

The commonest verbs in French are avoir (to have), aller (to go), être (to be), and faire (to do). These verbs are used all through the French language in colloquial phrases like faire la vaisselle (to scrub the dishes) or allons-y (let’s go), idioms like être une poule mouillée (to be a coward), and within the case of être and avoir, as auxiliary verbs for conjugating sure tenses. 

• faire la vaisselle = to scrub the dishes
• allons-y = let’s go
• être une poule mouillée = to be a coward (literal translation: to be a moist hen)

They’re additionally all irregular verbs, that means they every have their very own distinctive conjugations. 

Right here’s easy methods to type avoir, aller, être, and faire within the current tense:

Common French verb endings

Most French verbs will be conjugated in keeping with a sample primarily based on the verb’s ending. Verbs that comply with these conjugation patterns are referred to as common verbs. Once you get extra comfy in French you’ll start to acknowledge these patterns. 

The context of a dialog will even dictate which phrases you’ll use. For casual conversations with a buddy or a member of the family, you’ll use tu to say “you.” For extra formal conversations, like a enterprise assembly, the pronoun vous is the suitable option to discuss with the opposite particular person. Vous can be the pronoun used for “you all” in each formal and casual conditions.

Teams in French are additionally gendered and require totally different pronouns. For teams of ladies the plural elles is acceptable, and for blended gender or teams of solely males, ils is the suitable pronoun to make use of.

Under, you’ll discover widespread common verb endings for -ER, -IR, and -RE verbs. 

Widespread -ER verbs in French

-ER verbs in French are among the best to conjugate. To conjugate them within the current tense, you’ll drop the -ER off the tip of the verb and change it with the ending matching the topic of the sentence. Apart from aller, there are only a few irregular -ER verbs.

1. Aimer

One of many first verbs you’ll be taught in French is aimer (to love). You could already acknowledge this verb from the phrase je t’aime or “I really like you.” Probably the greatest (and most intuitive) methods to be taught a brand new language is by speaking concerning the issues that you simply like and dislike. 

Once you begin with these primary sentences, you’ll get comfy with subject-verb settlement and begin to be taught vocabulary concerning the issues that curiosity you!

Listed below are some examples of sentences that use aimer. 

• J’aime le chocolat chaud. = I really like scorching chocolate
• Elle aime chanter. = She likes to sing.
• Ils aiment jouer aux jeux vidéo. = They wish to play video video games.

2. Penser

Penser means “to assume.” There are three predominant ways in which you’ll use penser in a sentence. 

The primary is penser adopted by the infinitive type of one other verb.

• Je pense pouvoir finir mon devoir. = I believe I can end my homework.

The second is penser adopted by que, which suggests “to assume that.”

• Il pense que la glace au chocolat est la meilleure. = He thinks that chocolate ice cream is the most effective.

And the third is penser adopted by à, that means “to think about” or “to consider.”

• Nous pensons au dîner. = We’re fascinated by dinner.

3. Trouver

Trouver means “to search out.” When used with a reflexive pronoun, akin to me (myself), trouver will be an alternative choice to “I believe.”

• Vous trouvez votre clé. = You discovered your key.
• Je me trouve plus vieille. = I believe that I look older. (literal translation: I discover myself older.)

4. Regarder

Regarder means “to observe.” It displays the extra energetic act of watching, whether or not that’s a TV present or a efficiency. Relying on the context, you could wish to use the extra passive verb voir (to see) as a substitute.

• Je regarde la télé. = I’m watching television.
• Ils regardent le match. = They’re watching the sport.

Widespread -IR verbs in French

To conjugate -IR verbs within the current tense, you’ll drop off the ending of the verb and change it with the ending matching the topic of the sentence. Whereas the final two letters are the identical, -IR verbs are conjugated otherwise than -OIR verbs, that are irregular.

5. Venir

Venir means “to return.” There are two predominant methods you’ll use venir in a sentence.

The primary is venir by itself.

• Ils viennent pour déjeuner. = They’re coming for lunch.

The second is venir adopted by de, which suggests “to return from.” You’ll use this to inform individuals the place you’re from!

• Je viens des États-Unis. = I’m from america.

Widespread -RE verbs in French

To conjugate -RE verbs within the current tense, you’ll drop off the ending of the verb and change it with the ending matching the topic of the sentence. Nonetheless, there are many -RE verbs in French which can be irregular, together with être. Realizing which -RE verbs are common or irregular will turn into simpler as you observe.

6. Suivre

Suivre means “to comply with.” 

• Cette route swimsuit la rivière. = This street follows the river.
• Les canetons suivent leur mère. = The ducklings are following their mom.

You’ll discover that the current tense of suivre for je and tu is spelled the identical as the current tense of être. Relying on the context of the sentence you’ll be capable to differentiate between the 2.

7. Prendre

Prendre means “to take.” This verb turns out to be useful when describing strategies of transportation.

• Je prends le metro. = I’m taking the subway.
• Tu prends ton livre. = You take your ebook.

Widespread -OIR verbs in French

There are a lot of French verbs that finish in -OIR, and all of them are irregular! Verbs that finish in -OIR all have related conjugations, however since each -OIR verb is irregular there shall be small variations between them.

8. Devoir

Devoir means “to need to.” Together with describing actions that you have to take, devoir will typically be utilized in instructions. It’s normally adopted by the infinitive type of one other verb.

• Il doit travailler. = He has to work.
• Tu dois finir ton repas. = You will need to end your meal.

Colloquially, le devoir means “homework.”

• Je dois finir mes devoirs. = I’ve to complete my homework.

9. Savoir

Savoir means “to know”, however particularly to know info or easy methods to do issues. It’s the form of data that may be sure. Whereas connaître— the opposite French verb meaning “to know”— refers to data with a way of familiarity, like  figuring out somebody you’ve met personally or data of a sort of music.

A great way to recollect the distinction is to think about the commonly-used phrase savoir-faire or “know-how.” In English, savoir-faire refers to somebody having sensible “street-smarts”, a sure data of easy methods to accomplish issues and do them accurately.

• Je sais qui est le président. = I do know who the President is.
• Je ne sais pas. = I don’t know. 
• Mes sœurs savent où est le restaurant. = My sisters know the place the restaurant is.

10. Pouvoir

Pouvoir means “to have the ability to.” Most frequently pouvoir is used to create sentences expressing issues you can and can’t do.

• Elle ne peut pas venir aujourd’hui. = She will’t come as we speak. 
• Nous pouvons jouer avec vous. = We will play with you.

Transferring past the French current tense

Need to discover ways to conjugate much more verbs in different tenses? Try our full information to French verb conjugation! 

You’ll be taught the ins and outs of normal and irregular verbs, the 4 predominant tenses in French, and learn the way to conjugate parler, croire, vouloir, dire, voir, and finir.

Able to say j’aime Français? 

Now that you already know the most typical verbs, take your French language studying to the following degree with Rosetta Stone. Begin by studying primary phrases and phrases, reviewing the ten methods to say whats up, or exploring the south of France by on a regular basis conversations. Rosetta Stone might help you be taught a language sooner and extra confidently than you’ll in the event you studied by yourself.

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