100 common French verbs with English meanings

This list follows the frequency data used by Verbé. Which verbs are most common varies with the topic and type of text.

Start with a small set, practise the present, and add the passé composé, imparfait and future as you learn. Open a verb to see its meanings, forms and available examples.

• êtrebe; exist; be located
• avoirhave; own; experience a feeling or condition
• allergo; travel; be doing (health); be going to
• fairedo; make; cause something to happen
• pouvoircan; be able to; be allowed to
• diresay; tell; mean
• vouloirwant; wish; intend
• savoirknow a fact; know how to
• devoirmust; have to; owe; be expected to
• voirsee; watch; meet; understand
• venircome; come from; have just done (venir de)
• penserthink; believe; intend
• parlerspeak; talk; discuss
• prendretake; have food or a drink; catch transport
• croirebelieve; think
• aimerlove; like; enjoy
• passerpass; spend time; hand over; take an exam
• trouverfind; consider; think something is
• laisserleave; let; allow
• attendrewait for; expect
• arriverarrive; happen; manage to (arriver à)
• falloirbe necessary; need to (impersonal: il faut)
• appelercall; name; phone
• donnergive; provide; yield
• regarderlook at; watch; concern
• partirleave; depart; start from
• arrêterstop; arrest
• tuerkill
• mettreput; place; put on
• demanderask; ask for; request
• resterstay; remain
• sortirgo out; take out; come out
• connaîtreknow a person or place; be familiar with
• essayertry; try on
• mourirdie
• comprendreunderstand; include
• aiderhelp; assist
• entendrehear; mean; intend
• chercherlook for; seek; try to (chercher à)
• revenircome back; return; amount to
• écouterlisten to; pay attention to
• perdrelose; waste
• finirfinish; end
• sentirfeel; smell; sense
• jouerplay; act; gamble
• travaillerwork; study; work on
• commencerbegin; start
• plaireplease; appeal to; be liked by
• rendregive back; return; make someone or something become
• désolerdistress; upset; be sorry (être désolé)
• rentrergo home; come back in; bring in
• tenirhold; keep; last; care about (tenir à)
• vivrelive; experience
• devenirbecome
• changerchange; exchange
• oublierforget; leave behind
• envoyersend; dispatch
• mangereat
• occuperoccupy; take up space or time; employ
• entrerenter; go in; bring in
• tomberfall; drop; happen to fall on a date
• garderkeep; look after; guard
• payerpay; pay for
• excuserexcuse; forgive
• marcherwalk; work; function
• tirerpull; shoot; draw
• apprendrelearn; teach; find out
• espérerhope; hope for
• montrershow; point out
• importerimport; matter
• se souvenirremember; recall (se souvenir de)
• ouvriropen
• utiliseruse
• rencontrermeet; encounter
• portercarry; wear; bear
• suivrefollow; attend a course; keep up with
• gagnerwin; earn; gain
• semblerseem; appear
• foutreput (vulgar); do (vulgar); not care (s’en foutre, vulgar)
• rappelercall back; remind; recall
• retrouverfind again; meet again; regain
• continuercontinue; carry on
• sauversave; rescue
• retournerturn over; go back; return something
• asseoirseat; sit someone down; establish
• boiredrink
• dormirsleep
• acheterbuy; purchase
• écrirewrite
• quitterleave a place or person; take off clothes
• servirserve; be used for; help oneself (se servir)
• manquermiss; lack; fail to; be missed by
• emmenertake someone along; take someone away
• adorerlove; adore; worship
• volerfly; steal
• inquiéterworry; trouble
• répondreanswer; reply; be responsible for (répondre de)
• battrebeat; defeat; whisk
• lireread
• prierpray; ask politely; request

The trainer offers cumulative sets: each larger set includes the preceding one. A set’s size is not a CEFR level.