French Verb Patterns

Vocabulary flashcards covering French verb patterns, required prepositions, pronoun replacements, and grammatical structures.

venir de + infinitif

Grammatical structure used to express having just done something (recent past); 'de' elides to 'd'' before a vowel sound.

venir de + lieu

Verb structure used to mean 'to come from' a specific place or country.

aller + infinitif

Verb structure used to express the near future ('going to do' something).

penser à + chose

Construction meaning to think about a thing or idea.

y (with 'penser à')

Adverbial pronoun that replaces 'à + thing or idea' when thinking about something.

penser à + personne

Construction meaning to think about a person, which uses a disjunctive pronoun (such as 'à elle') rather than 'y'.

penser que + proposition

Construction used to express an opinion or belief ('to think that…') followed by a full clause.

penser de

Verb phrase used to ask for an opinion (e.g., 'What do you think of this idea?').

parler de + sujet

Construction meaning to talk about a topic, subject, or placement.

en (with 'parler de')

Pronoun that replaces 'de + thing/idea' when talking about a subject.

parler à + personne

Construction meaning to speak or talk to a person.

leur (with 'parler à')

Indirect object pronoun meaning 'to them' when used with 'parler à'.

essayer de + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to try to do something.

réussir à + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to succeed in or manage to do something.

arriver à + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to manage to do something (or can/cannot manage to do something).

apprendre à + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to learn to do something.

commencer à + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to start doing something (note: 'de' is also grammatically possible).

continuer à + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to keep or continue doing something (note: 'de' is also grammatically possible).

décider de + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to decide to do something.

choisir de + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to choose to do something.

oublier de + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to forget to do something.

arrêter de + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to stop doing something.

avoir besoin de + nom

Idiomatic expression meaning to need something.

avoir envie de + infinitif

Idiomatic expression meaning to feel like doing something.

avoir du mal à + infinitif

Idiomatic expression meaning to find it hard or have difficulty doing something.

être en train de + infinitif

Idiomatic verbal construction used to indicate an action in progress ('in the middle of doing' or 'right now').

s'intéresser à + nom

Pronominal verb structure meaning to be interested in something.

être passionné(e) par + nom

Passive expression meaning to be passionate about something.

se souvenir de + nom

Pronominal verb construction meaning to remember something or recall a memory.

se rendre compte que + proposition

Idiomatic expression meaning to realise that followed by a clause.

demander à quelqu'un de + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to ask someone to do something.

permettre à quelqu'un de + infinitif

Verb pattern meaning to allow or permit someone to do something.

travailler chez + entreprise

Prepositional pattern used to indicate working at a specific company or business.

travailler dans + domaine

Prepositional pattern used to indicate working within a specific sector, domain, or field.

passer du temps à + infinitif

Verbal construction meaning to spend time doing something.

dépendre de + nom

Verb construction meaning to depend on something.

se préparer à + infinitif

Pronominal verb pattern meaning to prepare oneself to do something.

espérer + infinitif

Verb meaning to hope to do something; constructed directly with an infinitive without 'à' or 'de'.

aimer + infinitif

Verb meaning to like doing something; takes a direct infinitive with no 'à' or 'de'.

chercher + objet direct

Verb meaning to look for, seek, or try to find; takes a direct object with no preposition ('no pour').

attendre + objet direct

Verb meaning to wait for; takes a direct object with no preposition ('no pour').

avoir l'intention de + infinitif

Idiomatic expression meaning to intend or plan to do something.

répondre à + nom

Verb construction meaning to respond or answer to something.