If you're learning French, mastering verb conjugation is
essential. It's one of the most important parts of the language and can make or
break your ability to communicate effectively. In this guide, we'll go through
the top 100 French verbs and give you a comprehensive overview of how to
conjugate them.
What is French Verb Conjugation?
Before we dive into the top
100 French verbs, it's important to understand what verb conjugation is. In
simple terms, verb conjugation is the process of changing a verb to reflect its
tense, mood, voice, and subject. In French, there are three types of verb
conjugations: -er verbs, -ir verbs, and -re verbs. Each type of verb has its
own set of conjugation rules.
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs in French follow a specific pattern for
conjugation. The conjugation pattern depends on the verb group to which the
verb belongs. In French, there are three groups of regular verbs:
-ER Verbs:
Verbs that end in -er belong to the first group of
regular verbs. They are the most common type of verbs in French. Here's an
example of how to conjugate the verb "parler" (to speak) in the
present tense:
Eg: Je parle (I speak) Tu parles (You speak) Il/elle/on parle
(He/she/one speaks) Nous parlons (We speak) Vous parlez (You speak) Ils/elles
parlent (They speak)
-IR Verbs:
Verbs that end in -ir belong to the second group
of regular verbs. Here's an example of how to conjugate the verb
"choisir" (to choose) in the present tense:
Je choisis (I choose) Tu choisis (You choose) Il/elle/on
choisit (He/she/one chooses) Nous choisissons (We choose) Vous choisissez (You
choose) Ils/elles choisissent (They choose)
-RE Verbs:
Verbs that end in -re belong to the third group
of regular verbs. Here's an example of how to conjugate the verb
"attendre" (to wait) in the present tense:
J'attends (I wait) Tu attends (You wait) Il/elle/on attend
(He/she/one waits) Nous attendons (We wait) Vous attendez (You wait) Ils/elles
attendent (They wait)
Irregular Verbs:
Irregular verbs in French do not follow the regular pattern
for conjugation. Here are some of the most common irregular verbs in French:
Être (to be)
This verb is irregular and is used to describe a person, place, or thing.
Je suis (I am)
Tu es (you are)
Il/elle/on est (he/she/it is)
Nous sommes (we are)
Vous êtes (you are)
Ils/elles sont (they are)
Avoir (to have)
This verb is also irregular and is used to
indicate possession or ownership.
J'ai (I have)
Tu as (you have)
Il/elle/on a (he/she/it has)
Nous avons (we have)
Vous avez (you have)
Ils/elles ont (they have)
Aller (to go)
This verb is irregular and is used to
indicate movement from one place to another.
Je vais (I go)
Tu vas (you go)
Il/elle/on va (he/she/it goes)
Nous allons (we go)
Vous allez (you go)
Ils/elles vont (they go)
Faire (to do/make)
This verb is irregular and is used to
indicate an action or activity.
Je fais (I do/make)
Tu fais (you do/make)
Il/elle/on fait (he/she/it does/makes)
Nous faisons (we do/make)
Vous faites (you do/make)
Ils/elles font (they do/make)
Dire (to say/tell)
This verb is irregular and is used to
indicate speech or communication.
Je dis (I say/tell)
Tu dis (you say/tell)
Il/elle/on dit (he/she/it says/tells)
Nous disons (we say/tell)
Vous dites (you say/tell)
Ils/elles disent (they say/tell)
Pouvoir (to be able to/can)
This verb is irregular and is
used to indicate ability or capability.
Je peux (I can)
Tu peux (you can)
Il/elle/on peut (he/she/it can)
Nous pouvons (we can)
Vous pouvez (you can)
Ils/elles peuvent (they can)
Voir (to see)
This verb is irregular and is used to
indicate sight or vision.
Je vois (I see)
Tu vois (you see)
Il/elle/on voit (he/she/it sees)
Nous voyons (we see)
Vous voyez (you see)
Ils/elles voient (they see)
Savoir (to know)
Savoir is an
irregular verb that is used to express knowledge or information. Here are the
conjugations of savoir in the present tense:
Je sais (I know)
Tu sais (You know)
Il/Elle/On sait (He/She/One knows)
Nous savons (We know)
Vous savez (You know)
Ils/Elles savent (They know)
Vouloir (to want)
Vouloir is another irregular verb that is used to express
desire or intention. Here are the conjugations of vouloir in the present tense:
Je veux (I want)
Tu veux (You want)
Il/Elle/On veut (He/She/One wants)
Nous voulons (We want)
Vous voulez (You want)
Ils/Elles veulent (They want)
Watch this video by Learn French with Alexa for a better understanding.
Most used French verbs
Now that you have a basic understanding of verb conjugation in French, let's dive deeper into the top French verbs that you're likely to encounter in everyday conversation. This comprehensive guide will provide you with the tools you need to conjugate these verbs correctly in various tenses and moods.
1. In this
section, we will cover the top French verbs that you need to know.
2.
Être (to be)
3.
Avoir (to have)
4.
Faire (to do/make)
5.
Aller (to go)
6.
Dire (to say/tell)
7.
Vouloir (to want)
8.
Pouvoir (to be able to/can)
9.
Savoir (to know)
10.
Devoir (to have to/must/ought to)
11.
Venir (to come)
12.
Prendre (to take)
13.
Mettre (to put)
14.
Finir (to finish)
15.
Parler (to speak)
16.
Attendre (to wait)
17.
Chercher (to look for)
18.
Appeler (to call)
19.
Partir (to leave)
20.
Rester (to stay)
21.
Sortir (to go out)
22.
Entrer (to enter)
23.
Retourner (to return)
24.
Arriver (to arrive)
25.
Donner (to give)
26.
Travailler (to work)
27.
Manger (to eat)
28.
Boire (to drink)
29.
Ouvrir (to open)
30.
Fermer (to close)
31.
Écrire (to write)
32.
Lire (to read)
33.
Comprendre (to understand)
34.
Connaître (to know)
35.
Croire (to believe)
36.
Recevoir (to receive)
37.
Vendre (to sell)
38.
Acheter (to buy)
39.
Envoyer (to send)
40.
Regarder (to watch/look at)
41.
Trouver (to find)
42.
Attendre (to wait)
43.
Dormir (to sleep)
44.
Vivre (to live)
45.
Descendre (to go down)
46.
Monter (to go up)
47.
Passer (to pass/spend time)
48.
Tomber (to fall)
49.
Lever (to lift/raise)
50.
Coucher (to lay down/go to bed)
51.
Mettre (to wear)
52.
Porter (to carry/wear)
53.
Prendre (to catch/take)
54.
Partager (to share)
55.
Fumer (to smoke)
56.
Commencer (to start)
different verb groups and patterns, as
well as the most common irregular verbs, you'll be able to communicate more
effectively in French. Practice conjugating different verbs in different tenses
to become more confident in your French language skills. I hope this article has been helpful in providing you with a
comprehensive guide to conjugating common French verbs.
