👉 See also: Top 25 French Verbs (Present Tense Conjugations with Native Audio) »
Updated January 14, 2026 — All verb chart lessons 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.
Level A1-A2 (Beginner)
This guide covers the 10 most common French verbs — the ones you’ll hear and use every day. Mastering these verbs gives you a strong foundation for speaking, reading, and understanding French naturally.
Each verb below links to a full conjugation chart and example sentences, plus Word of the Day lessons where available.
Top 10 French Verbs You Must Know
1. Être — to be
One of the first verbs every French learner must know. Use être to describe people, things, emotions, and locations. It’s also used as an auxiliary verb in the passé composé, one of the main French past tenses.
👉 Être conjugation charts »
📘 Être usage examples »
Je suis heureux. I’m happy.
Nous sommes en France. We’re in France.
2. Avoir — to have
The second essential French verb. You’ll use avoir constantly — not only for possession, but also as an auxiliary verb in the passé composé, one of the main French past tenses.
👉 Avoir conjugation charts »
👉 Avoir conjugation charts »
J’ai un chien. I have a dog.
Nous avons faim. We’re hungry.
3. Aller — to go
Aller is used to express movement and also to describe how you’re doing — for example, Je vais bien (I’m doing well). It’s also the base for the futur proche (near future), as in Je vais étudier (I’m going to study).
👉 Aller conjugation charts »
📘 Aller usage examples »
Je vais au travail. I’m going to work.
Nous allons étudier. We’re going to study.
4. Faire — to do / to make
A super versatile verb used in hundreds of expressions: faire du sport (to exercise), faire la cuisine (to cook), faire attention (to pay attention).
👉 Faire conjugation charts »
👉 Faire usage examples »
Je fais mes devoirs. I’m doing my homework.
Ils font du ski. They’re skiing.
5. Dire — to say / to tell
Use dire when expressing what someone says or tells.
👉 Dire conjugation charts »
👉 Dire usage examples »
Je te dis la vérité. I’m telling you the truth.
Elle dit qu’il fait beau. She says it’s nice out.
6. Pouvoir — can / to be able to
Express ability or permission with pouvoir — one of the most common verbs in conversation.
👉 Pouvoir conjugation charts »
📘 Pouvoir usage examples »
Je peux venir demain. I can come tomorrow.
Ils peuvent nous aider. They can help us.
7. Vouloir — to want
Used to express desire or willingness.
👉 Vouloir conjugation charts »
📘 Vouloir usage examples »
Je veux apprendre le français. I want to learn French.
Elle veut du café. She wants some coffee.
8. Savoir — to know (a fact / how)
Different from “connaître,” which means “to know someone.” Use savoir for facts or learned skills.
👉 Savoir conjugation charts »
📘 Savoir usage examples »
Je sais la réponse. I know the answer.
Nous savons nager. We know how to swim.
9. Voir — to see
A fundamental verb used literally and figuratively.
👉 Voir conjugation charts »
👉 Voir usage examples »
Je vois la Tour Eiffel. I see the Eiffel Tower.
Tu vois ce que je veux dire ? Do you see what I mean?
10. Venir — to come
Used for movement and also in the passé récent (recent past): Je viens de finir (I just finished).
👉 Venir conjugation charts »
📘 Venir usage examples »
Nous venons demain. We’re coming tomorrow.
Ils viennent de partir. They just left.
📚 Related Lessons
👉 French verb conjugations hub »
👉 Top 100 French Verbs »
👉 Verb Tenses Explained »
👉 Regular ER, IR, RE Verbs »
👉 Top Irregular Verbs »
🚀 Continue growing your French vocabulary!
👉 French Word of the Day »
👉 French Vocabulary lists »
👉 French for beginners guide »
👉 French song lyrics hub »
👉 French conjugations hub
