Level A1-A2 (Beginner)
🗓️ Updated October 2025 — Includes new examples, links, and native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a professional French voice artist from France.
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
1️⃣ 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 »
📘 Related: Word of the Day — être »
Je suis heureux. I’m happy.
Nous sommes en France. We’re in France.
2️⃣ 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 »
J’ai un chien. I have a dog.
Nous avons faim. We’re hungry.
3️⃣ 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 »
📘 Related: Word of the Day — aller »
Je vais au travail. I’m going to work.
Nous allons étudier. We’re going to study.
4️⃣ 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 »
Je fais mes devoirs. I’m doing my homework.
Ils font du ski. They’re skiing.
5️⃣ Dire — to say / to tell
Use dire when expressing what someone says or tells.
👉 Dire conjugation charts »
Je te dis la vérité. I’m telling you the truth.
Elle dit qu’il fait beau. She says it’s nice out.
6️⃣ Pouvoir — can / to be able to
Express ability or permission with pouvoir — one of the most common verbs in conversation.
👉 Pouvoir conjugation charts »
📘 Related: Word of the Day — pouvoir »
Je peux venir demain. I can come tomorrow.
Ils peuvent nous aider. They can help us.
7️⃣ Vouloir — to want
Used to express desire or willingness.
👉 Vouloir conjugation charts »
📘 Related: Word of the Day — vouloir »
Je veux apprendre le français. I want to learn French.
Elle veut du café. She wants some coffee.
8️⃣ Savoir — to know (a fact / how)
Different from “connaître,” which means “to know someone.” Use savoir for facts or learned skills.
👉 Savoir conjugation charts »
📘 Related: Word of the Day — savoir »
Je sais la réponse. I know the answer.
Nous savons nager. We know how to swim.
9️⃣ Voir — to see
A fundamental verb used literally and figuratively.
👉 Voir conjugation charts »
Je vois la Tour Eiffel. I see the Eiffel Tower.
Tu vois ce que je veux dire ? Do you see what I mean?
🔟 Venir — to come
Used for movement and also in the passé récent (recent past): Je viens de finir (I just finished).
👉 Venir conjugation charts »
📘 Related: Word of the Day — venir »
✏️ Take the Venir Quiz »
Nous venons demain. We’re coming tomorrow.
Ils viennent de partir. They just left.
📚 Related Lessons
👉 Top 100 French Verbs »
👉 Verb Tenses Explained »
👉 Passé Composé Guide »
👉 Regular ER, IR, RE Verbs »
👉 Top Irregular Verbs »
👉 French Future Tense »
👉 Recent Past »
🚀 Continue growing your French vocabulary!
👉 French Word of the Day »
👉 French Vocabulary lists »
👉 French for beginners guide »
👉 French song lyrics hub »
👉 French conjugations hub
