👉 Note: This lesson focuses on the meaning and usage of the verb mettre. If you’re looking for full conjugation tables with native audio, visit the dedicated Mettre conjugation page »
Level A1-A2 (Beginner & Upper Beginner)
Updated January 1, 2026 — Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
The French Word of the Day is mettre, meaning “to put.” This verb is extremely versatile because, in addition to its most basic meaning, it is also used to mean to put on (clothing or accessories) and to turn on (music, lights, etc.). It also appears in many common expressions, such as se mettre à (to start doing something). This lesson covers six of its key uses — all with native audio by Marie.
✅ Meaning
✅ Pronunciation
✅ Example sentences
✅ Related Words & Expressions
✅ Related lessons
📘 Mettre meaning in French
Mettre means “to put,” “to place,” or “to set” in French. It is one of the most common and useful verbs in everyday conversation and is used to talk about putting objects somewhere, putting on clothes (mettre une veste — to put on a jacket), turning on something (mettre la lumière — to turn on the light), or causing a state or action (mettre quelqu’un en colère — to make someone angry).
🎧 Mettre pronunciation in French
The pronunciation of mettre is /mɛtʁ/ (IPA), which sounds roughly like “METT-ruh.”
📝 Mettre usage examples
1. To put / place
Je mets les clés sur la table.
I put the keys on the table.
2. To put on (clothing)
Il met son blouson avant de sortir.
He puts on his jacket before going out.
3. To spend (time)
J’ai mis deux heures pour finir ce devoir.
I spent two hours finishing this homework.
4. To add / put (in food)
Vous mettez du sel dans la soupe ?
Are you putting salt in the soup?
5. To begin / start (oneself)
Je me mets à travailler sérieusement.
I’m starting to work seriously.
6. To turn on (a device)
Mets la radio, s’il te plaît.
Turn on the radio, please.
👉 Now that you’ve mastered the usages of mettre, check out my page covering mettre conjugation tables (with audio for six main tenses) »
🔗 Related words and expressions
The French use mettre constantly — not just to say “to put,” but in all kinds of expressions. Here are the top 5 most common ones.
- mettre la table — to set the table
- mettre du temps à — to take/spend time to do something
- se mettre d’accord — to come to an agreement
- se mettre en colère — to get angry
- mettre au courant — to inform / bring someone up to date
📚 Related lessons on FrenchLearner!
👉 mettre conjugation charts (with audio) »
👉 se mettre à (to start doing) – usage examples »
👉 remettre (to hand over) — usage examples »
🚀 Continue learning French online on FrenchLearner!
👉 French Word of the Day »
👉 French Vocabulary lists »
👉 French for beginners guide »
👉 French song lyrics hub »
Mettre usage — Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What are the primary meanings of mettre?
In its most basic sense, mettre means “to put,” “to place,” or “to set.” However, it is a versatile verb that also means “to put on” clothing, “to turn on” devices like a radio or light, and “to spend” time.
How is mettre used to talk about clothing?
Mettre is used to express “putting on” an item of clothing or an accessory, such as mettre un blouson (to put on a jacket).
What does the expression “se mettre à” mean?
When used as se mettre à, the verb means “to start” or “to begin” doing something, such as Je me mets à travailler (I’m starting to work).
Can mettre be used for food and cooking?
Yes, it is used to mean “adding” or “putting” ingredients into food, such as putting salt in a soup (mettre du sel dans la soupe).
