Common French Verbs
Essential verbs you will use every day in French, with phonetics and audio.
être – to be
/ɛtʁ/
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avoir – to have
/avwaʁ/
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aller – to go
/ale/
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faire – to do / make
/fɛʁ/
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dire – to say / tell
/diʁ/
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pouvoir – can / to be able
/puvwaʁ/
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vouloir – to want
/vulwaʁ/
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venir – to come
/vəniʁ/
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voir – to see
/vwaʁ/
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devoir – must / to have to
/dəvwaʁ/
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prendre – to take
/pʁɑ̃dʁ/
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trouver – to find
/tʁuve/
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donner – to give
/dɔne/
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parler – to speak
/paʁle/
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mettre – to put
/mɛtʁ/
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savoir – to know (facts)
/savwaʁ/
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passer – to pass / spend time
/pase/
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regarder – to watch / look at
/ʁəɡaʁde/
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aimer – to like / love
/ɛme/
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jouer – to play
/ʒwe/
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finir – to finish
/finiʁ/
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choisir – to choose
/ʃwaziʁ/
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travailler – to work
/tʁavaje/
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écouter – to listen
/ekute/
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attendre – to wait
/atɑ̃dʁ/
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apprendre – to learn
/apʁɑ̃dʁ/
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comprendre – to understand
/kɔ̃pʁɑ̃dʁ/
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lire – to read
/liʁ/
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écrire – to write
/ekʁiʁ/
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demander – to ask
/dəmɑ̃de/
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répondre – to answer
/ʁepɔ̃dʁ/
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entrer – to enter
/ɑ̃tʁe/
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sortir – to go out
/sɔʁtiʁ/
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ouvrir – to open
/uviʁ/
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fermer – to close
/fɛʁme/
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manger – to eat
/mɑ̃ʒe/
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boire – to drink
/bwaʁ/
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acheter – to buy
/aʃte/
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payer – to pay
/peje/
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trouver – to find
/tʁuve/
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chercher – to look for
/ʃɛʁʃe/
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monter – to go up
/mɔ̃te/
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descendre – to go down
/desɑ̃dʁ/
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tomber – to fall
/tɔ̃be/
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ouvrir – to open
/uviʁ/
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fermer – to close
/fɛʁme/
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