French Verbs
Collection of French verbs, including conjugations, usage examples and related vocabulary.
détail
detail
The French word for 'detail' is 'détail'. It is used in the same context as in English to denote or describe a particular or specific feature, part, or item. It is most commonly used in sentences like 'dans le moindre détail' which translates to 'in the smallest detail'.
Example sentences with détail →déterminer
determine
The French word 'déterminer' is used similarly to the English word 'determine'. It can be utilized in the context of making a decision after considering all possible choices and outcomes, identifying the nature or specifics of something, or causing something to occur in a particular way. Its use is common in formal spoken and written language.
Example sentences with déterminer →développer
develop
The French word 'développer' is used in the same context as 'develop' in English. It commonly implies the idea of growth, progress or expansion. It can be used in various contexts such as personal development (développement personnel), software development (développement de logiciel) or even to describe the growth of a city (développement d'une ville).
Example sentences with développer →devenir
become
The French verb 'devenir' is the equivalent of the English verb 'become'. It is often used to indicate a change or transformation of some kind. For example, 'Je suis en train de devenir un docteur' translates to 'I am becoming a doctor'. This verb is a part of a larger family of verbs known as 'irregular -ir verbs', which do not follow a regular conjugation pattern.
Example sentences with devenir →deviner
guess
The French word 'deviner' is equivalent to the English word 'guess'. It is a commonly used verb in French, just as it is in English. It is used in various contexts, such as making a conjecture, assuming, or guessing the answer to a question. Examples of its usage can be found in phrases like 'Je ne peux que deviner' (I can only guess) or 'Devine qui?' (Guess who?).
Example sentences with deviner →dire
tell
In French, 'dire' translates to 'tell' in English. It is most commonly used as a verb in context to impart information or to express something in words. Depending on the sentence, 'dire' could also be iterated in other forms such as 'dit' - said, 'dire' - to say, etc. From a grammar aspect, 'dire' can be used with a direct object or followed by 'that' ('que') similar to English 'tell that'.
Example sentences with dire →discuter
discuss
The French verb 'discuter' is frequently used in both formal and casual contexts. It can mean either 'to discuss' or 'to argue'. While 'discuter' primarily means 'to discuss', it does not have a negative connotation and is used naturally in conversations to express the act of having an in-depth conversation or discussion on a topic.
Example sentences with discuter →doit
must
In French, 'must' is translated to 'doit'. It is used as a verb to express an obligation or necessity. However, French language doesn't have a perfect equivalent for the modal verb 'must' in English. The word 'doit' is a form of the verb 'devoir' which expresses 'must' or 'have to'. It is used in the same context as in English, for example - 'I must eat' would translate to 'Je dois manger'. It can also express prediction or expectation.
Example sentences with doit →donner
give
The word 'donner' is the French equivalent of the English word 'give'. It is used almost always in the same context as 'give', typically when transferring something from one person to another. It can also be used in many other contexts, like 'give me your hand' ('donne-moi ta main') or 'give a gift' ('donner un cadeau'). However, as with all translations, some idiomatic or cultural uses may not translate directly.
Example sentences with donner →douleur
pain
The word 'douleur' in French translates to 'pain' in English. It's used to describe any kind of physical discomfort or suffering often caused by injury or illness. Just like the English word 'pain', 'douleur' can also be used in a metaphorical sense to express emotional agony or distress.
Example sentences with douleur →échouer
fail
The French word 'échouer' is used to express the English word 'fail'. It is used in the same manner as in English - when a task, initiative, or goal is not successful. However, like many other expressions, the context might slightly alter its translation. It is primarily used in academic or professional settings to denote failure in a project or exam.
Example sentences with échouer →écouter
listen
The French word for 'listen' is 'écouter'. It is used in much the same way as it is in English, to indicate the act of making an effort to hear something. It can be used in different contexts, just like in English, such as listening to music (écouter de la musique), listening to a person (écouter une personne), or listening to a lesson (écouter une leçon).
Example sentences with écouter →écrire
write
The French word 'écrire' translates to 'write' in English. In French grammar, 'écrire' is an irregular -re verb and requires certain modifications depending on different grammatical tenses and moods. For instance, 'I write' is 'J'écris'. It is utilized in various contexts that revolve around the act of writing like 'writing a letter' - 'écrire une lettre', 'writing a book' - 'écrire un livre', etc. Similar to English, it is also used metaphorically in some expressions.
Example sentences with écrire →effet
effect
The French word 'effet' translates to 'effect' in English. It can be used in various contexts just as in English. For instance, it can define the result or consequence of an action. Similar to its English counterpart, 'effet' can also be used to express a particular impression or atmosphere that an object or person projects. For example, 'Cela a un effet apaisant' translates to 'It has a soothing effect'. It's well integrated in the French language and can be spotted in many necessary conversations.
Example sentences with effet →enlever
remove
The French word 'enlever' is used similarly to the English 'remove'. We can use it to talk about taking something away or off from where it is or from its original position. For example, we can say 'Je vais enlever ma veste,' which translates to 'I will remove my jacket.' It can also be used in the context of kidnapping or abduction.
Example sentences with enlever →enregistrement
record
In French, the word 'enregistrement' is used similar to the English 'record'. It can mean a document or notation of data saved for referencing later, or the act of saving such data. It is also used in the context of audio or video recording. However, like in English, it's not used to describe a sports achievement or a best-ever performance; that would be 'record' in French too.
Example sentences with enregistrement →enseigner
teach
The French word for 'teach' is 'enseigner'. It is commonly used in the same context as in English. It can be used when referring to teaching a subject, a concept, a skill, etc. Note that the verb 'enseigner' should be used with the preposition 'à' when indicating whom you are teaching something to.
Example sentences with enseigner →entendre
hear
The French word 'entendre' is used to express the action of hearing something, similar to 'hear' in English. It can be used in various contexts such as hearing a sound, a person speaking, a music note and more. Like English, the French use it in idiomatic expressions as well, for example, 'Je ne veux pas entendre ça' translates to 'I don’t want to hear it'.
Example sentences with entendre →entreprise
company
The French word for company is 'entreprise'. This term is widely used in business and economic contexts to refer to a commercial business or firm. Just like in English, it can be used for both small and large scale businesses across a variety of industries. Additionally, the term 'entreprise' can also be used to indicate effort or initiative, for example, 'une entreprise difficile' would translate to 'a difficult endeavour'.
Example sentences with entreprise →entrer
enter
The French word 'entrer' is used similarly to the English verb 'enter'. It can mean to come or go into a physical location such as a room or building, or to input information into a system. Like in English it can be used in various contexts, such as 'entrer dans la maison' (enter the house) or 'entrer des données' (enter data).
Example sentences with entrer →envoyer
send
The French verb 'envoyer' means 'to send'. It is used similarly as 'send' in English — when you want to send something, such as a letter, a package, or an email, to someone else. Additionally, 'envoyer' can also imply sending someone to do something, akin to 'send off' in English.
Example sentences with envoyer →équipe
team
The French word for team is 'équipe'. It is used to refer to a group of individuals who work together towards a common goal. It can be used in the same context as it is in English, for example, 'Nous sommes une bonne équipe' means 'We are a good team'.
Example sentences with équipe →espace
space
The word 'espace' is used in French in the same way as 'space' is used in English. It can refer to physical space in the context of dimensions and geography, as well as outer space or cosmos. It can also refer to a space in a document or a form. Similar to English, 'espace' can also be used abstractly to refer to an interval or gap in time.
Example sentences with espace →espoir
hope
The word 'hope' is translated into French as 'espoir'. In French, 'espoir' is generally used the same way as in English, indicating a feeling of expectation and desire for certain things to happen. 'Espoir' agrees in number, which means it can be 'espoirs' ('hopes') in plural.
Example sentences with espoir →esprit
mind
In French, 'esprit' is used to represent the English word 'mind'. It is often used in similar contexts, to represent intellectual capabilities, thoughts, consciousness or intentions. For example, 'Avoir l'esprit ouvert' translates to 'to have an open mind'. It's also used in expressions like 'esprit d'equipe', which means team spirit.
Example sentences with esprit →étape
step
The word 'étape' in French refers to a 'step' in English. It is typically used in similar contexts as English, referring to a stage or segment in a process or sequence. For example, 'Chaque étape du voyage était excitante' would translate to 'Every step of the journey was exciting' in English.
Example sentences with étape →État
state
The French word 'État' is equivalent to the English word 'state'. It can be used as a noun in a variety of contexts, such as to denote a country or nation ('État'), a physical condition or status ('état'), or one of the member territories of a federal country such as the USA ('état'). Just like in English, it changes meaning based on its context.
Example sentences with État →étudier
study
The French word for 'study' is 'étudier'. It is usually used to refer to the act of devoting time and attention to acquiring knowledge on an academic subject, especially by means of books, or a detailed investigation and analysis of a subject or situation.
Example sentences with étudier →éviter
avoid
The French word 'éviter' is used in many scenarios similar to its English equivalent, 'avoid'. You can use it when you want to escape from a situation (éviter un problème - avoid a problem), when you're trying to keep away from a person (éviter quelqu'un - avoid someone), or when dodging an object (éviter une voiture - avoid a car). It's a versatile word that is frequently used in both conversational and written French.
Example sentences with éviter →exemple
example
The word 'exemple' in French is used similarly as 'example' in English. It can refer to an instance serving to illustrate a rule or case. It can also mean a thing characteristic of its kind or illustrating a general rule. This term is commonly used in both spoken and written French, and can be found in various contexts, such as education, business, and daily conversation.
Example sentences with exemple →