Sample Sentences for 100 Common French Verbs

être

to be

avoir

to have

pouvoir

to be able to / can

faire

to do, to make

mettre

to put, to place

dire

to say, to tell

devoir

to have to, must, to owe

prendre

to take, to catch, to capture

donner

to give, to produce

aller

to go

vouloir

to want, to wish

savoir

to know [a fact or how to do something]

falloir

to have to - impersonal verb, typically 'il faut'

voir

to see

demander

to ask, to request

trouver

to find, to discover

rendre

to return, to give back

venir

to come

passer

to pass, to go past

comprendre

to understand, to include

rester

to stay, to remain

tenir

to hold, to keep

porter

to carry, to wear

parler

to speak, to talk

montrer

to show, to display

continuer

to continue

penser

to think

suivre

to follow, to pay attention

connaître

to know, to be acquainted with

croire

to believe in

commencer

to begin, to start

compter

to count

entendre

to hear, to understand

attendre

to wait, to expect

remettre

to put back, to deliver

appeler

to call, to contact

permettre

to permit, to allow

occuper

to occupy, to take up

devenir

to become, to grow into

partir

to leave, to depart

décider

to decide, to persuade

arriver

to arrive, to happen

servir

to serve

sembler

to seem

revenir

to return, to come back

laisser

to leave, to allow, to let

recevoir

to receive, to welcome

répondre

to answer, to reply

vivre

to live

rappeler

to call back, to remind

présenter

to present, to introduce

accepter

to accept

agir

to act

poser

to put down, to pose

jouer

to play, to act, to gamble

reconnaître

to recognize, to acknowledge

choisir

to choose

toucher

to touch, to affect

aimer

to like, to love

retrouver

to find, to meet up with

perdre

to lose

expliquer

to explain

considérer

to consider

ouvrir

to open

gagner

to win, to earn

exister

to exist

refuser

to refuse

lire

to read

réussir

to succeed

changer

to change

travailler

to work

représenter

to represent

assurer

to assure, to insure, to secure

essayer

to try

empêcher

to prevent, to stop

sortir

to go out, to leave

reprendre

to resume, to take back

mener

to lead, to conduct

appartenir

to belong

risquer

to risk

concerner

to concern, to affect

apprendre

to learn, to teach

rencontrer

to meet, to encounter

créer

to create

obtenir

to obtain

chercher

to look for

entrer

to enter

proposer

to suggest, to propose

apporter

to bring

utiliser

to use

atteindre

to reach, to attain

tenter

to tempt, to try

importer

to import, to matter

ajouter

to add

produire

to produce

préparer

to prepare

relever

to raise, to stand up, to note