The Most Useful Verbs for Beginners

Why verbs matter most at A1

At beginner level, verbs give you immediate power: you can say what you do, what you want, what you like, where you go, what you have, and what you need. With a small set of high-frequency verbs, you can handle many everyday situations even with limited vocabulary. In French, verbs change form depending on the subject (I/you/he…), and sometimes the verb itself is irregular. The goal here is not to memorize every form at once, but to learn the most useful verbs with the forms you will actually use first, then expand.

This chapter focuses on practical verbs you can reuse constantly. You will learn: (1) what each verb means and when to use it, (2) the most useful present-tense forms, (3) ready-to-use examples, and (4) a simple step-by-step method to practice each verb.

How to learn a verb efficiently (a repeatable method)

Step 1: Learn the infinitive + one core meaning

The infinitive is the dictionary form: être (to be), avoir (to have), aller (to go). Start with one core meaning, then add extra meanings later.

Step 2: Learn the 3 most useful subject forms first

For A1, the most useful forms are usually: je (I), vous (you formal/plural), and il/elle (he/she). Add nous (we) and ils/elles (they) after you feel comfortable.

Step 3: Attach the verb to a small “mini-vocabulary”

Don’t learn a verb alone. Learn it with 5–10 nouns or complements you actually need. Example for prendre (to take): un café, le bus, une photo, un rendez-vous, une douche.

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Step 4: Practice with 3 types of sentences

• Affirmative: “I do…”
• Negative: “I don’t do…” (use ne … pas)
• Question: “Do you…?” (use intonation or Est-ce que…)

Step 5: Use it in a micro-dialogue

Create a 2–3 line exchange that feels real. This forces you to choose the right form quickly.

Verb 1: être (to be)

Être is essential for identity, descriptions, nationality, and many common expressions.

Most useful present forms

• je suis (I am)
• vous êtes (you are)
• il/elle est (he/she is)
• nous sommes (we are)
• ils/elles sont (they are)

Examples you can reuse

• Je suis étudiant(e). (I am a student.)
• Vous êtes prêt(e) ? (Are you ready?)
• Il est fatigué. / Elle est fatiguée. (He/She is tired.)
• Nous sommes ici. (We are here.)
• Ils sont en retard. (They are late.)

Mini-practice

Choose 5 adjectives you need (fatigué(e), content(e), occupé(e), malade, prêt(e)) and make 5 sentences with je suis. Then switch to vous êtes.

Verb 2: avoir (to have)

Avoir is used for possession and also for many common states in French (like “to be hungry” is expressed with “to have hunger”).

Most useful present forms

• j’ai (I have)
• vous avez (you have)
• il/elle a (he/she has)
• nous avons (we have)
• ils/elles ont (they have)

High-utility expressions with avoir

• J’ai faim. (I’m hungry.)
• J’ai soif. (I’m thirsty.)
• J’ai froid / J’ai chaud. (I’m cold / I’m hot.)
• J’ai besoin de … (I need …)
• J’ai envie de … (I feel like …)

Mini-practice

Make a list of 6 needs/wants: un café, de l’eau, une pause, aide, du temps, un billet. Practice: J’ai besoin de… and Vous avez… ?

Verb 3: aller (to go)

Aller helps you talk about movement and destinations. It is also used to form the near future: je vais + infinitif (I’m going to…).

Most useful present forms

• je vais
• vous allez
• il/elle va
• nous allons
• ils/elles vont

Examples: destinations

• Je vais à Paris. (I’m going to Paris.)
• Vous allez au travail ? (Are you going to work?)
• Elle va à la gare. (She’s going to the station.)

Examples: near future (very useful at A1)

• Je vais commander. (I’m going to order.)
• Nous allons commencer. (We’re going to start.)
• Vous allez payer ? (Are you going to pay?)

Mini-practice

Write 5 “near future” sentences using verbs you already know in English: je vais + manger / boire / travailler / appeler / acheter. Say them out loud twice.

Verb 4: faire (to do / to make)

Faire is used for actions, activities, and many everyday expressions (weather, sports, “to take a walk”).

Most useful present forms

• je fais
• vous faites
• il/elle fait
• nous faisons
• ils/elles font

Examples you can reuse

• Je fais du sport. (I do sports / I work out.)
• Vous faites quoi ? (What are you doing?)
• Il fait froid. (It’s cold.)
• Je fais une pause. (I’m taking a break.)
• Nous faisons une promenade. (We’re taking a walk.)

Mini-practice

Pick 5 activities: du sport, une pause, les courses, la cuisine, une promenade. Practice: Je fais… then ask: Vous faites… ?

Verb 5: vouloir (to want)

Vouloir is key for polite requests and expressing preferences. In real life, you often use it with je voudrais (I would like), which is more polite than je veux (I want).

Most useful present forms

• je veux
• vous voulez
• il/elle veut
• nous voulons
• ils/elles veulent

Polite form to know early

• je voudrais (I would like)

Examples

• Je veux un café. (I want a coffee.)
• Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît. (I’d like a coffee, please.)
• Vous voulez payer ? (Do you want to pay?)
• Elle veut une table pour deux. (She wants a table for two.)

Mini-practice

Make two versions of each request: one with je veux and one with je voudrais. Notice how the second feels softer and more polite.

Verb 6: pouvoir (can / to be able to)

Pouvoir helps you ask for permission, talk about ability, and make polite requests. It is one of the most practical verbs for beginners.

Most useful present forms

• je peux
• vous pouvez
• il/elle peut
• nous pouvons
• ils/elles peuvent

Examples

• Je peux payer par carte ? (Can I pay by card?)
• Vous pouvez répéter ? (Can you repeat?)
• Je ne peux pas. (I can’t.)
• On peut entrer ? (Can we come in?)

Mini-practice

Practice a polite request pattern: Est-ce que je peux + infinitif ? Make 5 sentences: entrer, payer, utiliser, prendre, essayer.

Verb 7: devoir (must / to have to)

Devoir expresses obligation and necessity. It is useful for schedules, rules, and practical constraints.

Most useful present forms

• je dois
• vous devez
• il/elle doit
• nous devons
• ils/elles doivent

Examples

• Je dois partir. (I have to leave.)
• Vous devez signer ici. (You must sign here.)
• On doit attendre. (We have to wait.)
• Je ne dois pas. (I must not / I’m not supposed to.)

Mini-practice

Write 5 “real life” obligations for you: je dois + travailler / étudier / appeler / acheter / partir. Then make 2 negatives with je ne dois pas…

Verb 8: prendre (to take / to have [food, transport])

Prendre is extremely common: you take transport, you take a coffee, you take a photo, you take time. It often maps to different English verbs, but in French prendre covers many of them.

Most useful present forms

• je prends
• vous prenez
• il/elle prend
• nous prenons
• ils/elles prennent

Examples

• Je prends le bus. (I take the bus.)
• Vous prenez un café ? (Are you having a coffee?)
• Je prends une photo. (I’m taking a photo.)
• On prend une table ? (Shall we take a table?)

Mini-practice

Create a “prendre list” of 8 items (transport + food/drink + actions). Drill them with: Je prends… / Vous prenez… ?

Verb 9: mettre (to put / to wear)

Mettre is useful for placing things and for clothing. Beginners often need it in shops, at home, and when getting ready.

Most useful present forms

• je mets
• vous mettez
• il/elle met
• nous mettons
• ils/elles mettent

Examples

• Je mets ma veste. (I’m putting on my jacket.)
• Vous mettez ça où ? (Where do you put that?)
• Il met la table. (He sets the table.)
• Je mets le téléphone ici. (I put the phone here.)

Mini-practice

Practice with objects around you: choose 5 items and say where you put them: Je mets… sur la table / dans le sac / ici / là-bas.

Verb 10: venir (to come)

Venir helps with invitations, meeting plans, and describing where you come from. It is also used in a common structure: venir de + infinitif (to have just done something), but at A1 you can focus first on “come” and “come from.”

Most useful present forms

• je viens
• vous venez
• il/elle vient
• nous venons
• ils/elles viennent

Examples

• Je viens avec vous. (I’m coming with you.)
• Vous venez ce soir ? (Are you coming tonight?)
• Elle vient de Lyon. (She comes from Lyon.)

Mini-practice

Make 5 invitation questions with Vous venez… ? using time words: aujourd’hui, demain, ce soir, maintenant, ce week-end.

Verb 11: dire (to say / to tell)

Dire is useful for communication: telling someone something, asking what something means, and reporting simple information.

Most useful present forms

• je dis
• vous dites
• il/elle dit
• nous disons
• ils/elles disent

Examples

• Je dis oui / non. (I say yes / no.)
• Vous dites comment ? (How do you say it?)
• Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ? (What does that mean?)
• Il dit que c’est fermé. (He says it’s closed.)

Mini-practice

Practice a clarification routine: Vous dites… ? + repeat one word you heard. Then: Ça veut dire quoi ?

Verb 12: parler (to speak / to talk)

Parler is a high-frequency regular verb. It’s essential for language situations and social interaction.

Most useful present forms

• je parle
• vous parlez
• il/elle parle
• nous parlons
• ils/elles parlent

Examples

• Je parle un peu français. (I speak a little French.)
• Vous parlez anglais ? (Do you speak English?)
• On parle plus tard. (We’ll talk later.)

Mini-practice

Learn 5 language names and practice: Je parle… / Je ne parle pas… / Vous parlez… ?

Verb 13: aimer (to like / to love)

Aimer helps you express preferences. It is a regular verb and easy to conjugate.

Most useful present forms

• j’aime
• vous aimez
• il/elle aime
• nous aimons
• ils/elles aiment

Examples

• J’aime le café. (I like coffee.)
• Vous aimez ce film ? (Do you like this movie?)
• Je n’aime pas ça. (I don’t like that.)

Mini-practice

Make two lists: 5 things you like and 5 you don’t like. Alternate: J’aime… / Je n’aime pas…

Verb 14: savoir vs connaître (to know)

French has two common verbs for “to know,” and choosing the right one helps you sound natural quickly.

Savoir: to know a fact / how to do something

Use savoir for information, facts, and skills. Often followed by a clause or an infinitive.

• je sais, vous savez, il/elle sait

• Je sais. (I know.)
• Je ne sais pas. (I don’t know.)
• Vous savez où c’est ? (Do you know where it is?)
• Je sais faire ça. (I know how to do that.)

Connaître: to know a person / a place / something familiar

Use connaître for people, places, and things you are familiar with.

• je connais, vous connaissez, il/elle connaît

• Je connais Marie. (I know Marie.)
• Vous connaissez ce restaurant ? (Do you know this restaurant?)
• Je ne connais pas. (I don’t know [it/him/her].)

Mini-practice (decision drill)

For each prompt, choose savoir or connaître: “a person,” “an address,” “a city,” “how to do it,” “the answer.” Then create one sentence for each.

Verb 15: voir (to see) and regarder (to watch / to look at)

Both relate to vision, but they are used differently.

Voir: to see (passive perception)

• je vois, vous voyez, il/elle voit

• Je vois. (I see.)
• Je ne vois pas. (I don’t see.)
• Vous voyez le panneau ? (Do you see the sign?)

Regarder: to watch / to look at (intentional)

• je regarde, vous regardez, il/elle regarde

• Je regarde le menu. (I’m looking at the menu.)
• Vous regardez la télé ? (Are you watching TV?)

Mini-practice

Point to objects around you and alternate: Je vois… (what you can see) and Je regarde… (what you are looking at intentionally).

Verb 16: donner (to give) and recevoir (to receive)

These verbs are common in shops, services, and everyday exchanges.

Donner (regular)

• je donne, vous donnez, il/elle donne

• Je vous donne mon nom. (I give you my name.)
• Vous me donnez un sac ? (Can you give me a bag?)

Recevoir (common but a bit irregular in pronunciation)

• je reçois, vous recevez, il/elle reçoit

• Je reçois un message. (I receive a message.)
• Vous recevez des emails ? (Do you receive emails?)

Mini-practice

Practice with pronouns in a simple way: Je vous donne… and Vous me donnez… using 5 items (ticket, receipt, address, phone number, change).

Verb 17: acheter (to buy) and payer (to pay)

Two essential verbs for any transaction. Both are regular and easy to reuse.

Most useful present forms

• j’achète, vous achetez, il/elle achète
• je paie / je paye, vous payez, il/elle paie / paye

Examples

• J’achète une bouteille d’eau. (I’m buying a bottle of water.)
• Vous achetez quoi ? (What are you buying?)
• Je paie par carte. (I’m paying by card.)
• Vous payez maintenant ? (Are you paying now?)

Mini-practice

Make a shopping list of 8 items you might buy. For each item, say: J’achète… Then add a payment sentence: Je paie…

Verb 18: manger (to eat) and boire (to drink)

These are regular, high-frequency verbs and perfect for daily practice because you can use them every day.

Most useful present forms

• je mange, vous mangez, il/elle mange
• je bois, vous buvez, il/elle boit

Examples

• Je mange ici. (I’m eating here.)
• Vous mangez quoi ? (What are you eating?)
• Je bois de l’eau. (I’m drinking water.)
• Je ne bois pas de café. (I don’t drink coffee.)

Mini-practice

Practice the negative with food and drink: make 5 sentences with je ne … pas. Then make 5 questions: Vous mangez… ? / Vous buvez… ?

A1 verb toolkit: quick reference list

Here is a compact list of the verbs covered, to help you review and choose what to practice each week.

• être (je suis, vous êtes, il/elle est)
• avoir (j’ai, vous avez, il/elle a)
• aller (je vais, vous allez, il/elle va)
• faire (je fais, vous faites, il/elle fait)
• vouloir (je veux, vous voulez, il/elle veut; je voudrais)
• pouvoir (je peux, vous pouvez, il/elle peut)
• devoir (je dois, vous devez, il/elle doit)
• prendre (je prends, vous prenez, il/elle prend)
• mettre (je mets, vous mettez, il/elle met)
• venir (je viens, vous venez, il/elle vient)
• dire (je dis, vous dites, il/elle dit)
• parler (je parle, vous parlez, il/elle parle)
• aimer (j’aime, vous aimez, il/elle aime)
• savoir (je sais, vous savez, il/elle sait)
• connaître (je connais, vous connaissez, il/elle connaît)
• voir (je vois, vous voyez, il/elle voit)
• regarder (je regarde, vous regardez, il/elle regarde)
• donner (je donne, vous donnez, il/elle donne)
• recevoir (je reçois, vous recevez, il/elle reçoit)
• acheter (j’achète, vous achetez, il/elle achète)
• payer (je paie/paye, vous payez, il/elle paie/paye)
• manger (je mange, vous mangez, il/elle mange)
• boire (je bois, vous buvez, il/elle boit)

Step-by-step weekly practice plan (verbs only)

Day 1–2: Build your “core 6”

Choose 6 verbs you need most (for many learners: être, avoir, aller, faire, vouloir, pouvoir). For each verb, write 6 sentences: 2 affirmative, 2 negative, 2 questions. Read them aloud.

Day 3–4: Add action verbs for real situations

Add 4–6 action verbs that match your life (for example: prendre, mettre, venir, acheter, payer). Attach each verb to 5 useful nouns. Drill them as short chunks: Je prends le bus, Je prends un café.

Day 5: Mix and switch subjects

Take 10 sentences you wrote and switch the subject: je → vous → il/elle. This trains conjugation without learning full tables.

Day 6: Micro-dialogues

Create 5 micro-dialogues using your verbs. Example pattern: question + answer + follow-up. Keep them short and realistic.

— Vous pouvez répéter ? — Oui, bien sûr. Je dis : “…” — Merci.

Day 7: Speed review

Set a timer for 5 minutes. For each verb, say the forms: je, vous, il/elle. Then say one example sentence. The goal is speed and comfort, not perfection.