French A1 Group 1 Verbs

Speaking, listening, calling, asking and giving. Pay attention to what follows the verb. | 1) Review the following constructions aloud before flipping. = Say an example from memory.

to speak a language; NO preposition before the language | 1) Je parle français et anglais. = I speak French and English. | 2) Est-ce que vous parlez allemand ? = Do you speak German? | Note: Contrast: parler DE = talk about; parler À = talk to.

to talk ABOUT something or someone | 1) Je parle de mon travail. = I am talking about my work. | 2) Nous parlons du livre. = We are talking about the book. | Note: de + le = du; de + les = des.

to speak TO someone | 1) Je parle à mon professeur. = I am speaking to my teacher. | 2) Elle parle au médecin. = She is speaking to the doctor. | Note: à + le = au; à + les = aux.

to talk WITH someone (conversation together) | 1) Je parle avec ma sœur. = I am talking with my sister. | 2) Nous parlons avec nos amis. = We talk with our friends.

to talk TO someone ABOUT something | 1) Je parle à ma sœur de mon travail. = I talk to my sister about my work. | 2) Il parle au professeur de son projet. = He talks to the teacher about his project.

to listen TO; NO à before the direct object | 1) J’écoute mon professeur. = I listen to my teacher. | 2) Nous écoutons la radio. = We listen to the radio. | Note: Not: écouter à mon professeur.

to listen to music; de la is a PARTITIVE ARTICLE, not a fixed verb preposition | 1) J’écoute de la musique le soir. = I listen to music in the evening. | 2) Elle écoute du jazz. = She listens to jazz. | Note: Compare: écouter la musique = listen to the specific music.

to call someone; no preposition before the person | 1) J’appelle ma mère ce soir. = I am calling my mother tonight. | 2) Nous appelons le médecin. = We call the doctor. | Note: Spelling: j’appelle / nous appelons.

to call someone FOR a reason | 1) J’appelle la banque pour un rendez-vous. = I am calling the bank for an appointment. | 2) Elle appelle son frère pour son anniversaire. = She calls her brother for his birthday.

to be called / to have the name (reflexive form) | 1) Je m’appelle Marie. = My name is Marie. | 2) Comment vous appelez-vous ? = What is your name? | Note: m’, t’, s’ are reflexive pronouns.

to phone someone; à IS required | 1) Je téléphone à ma grand-mère. = I phone my grandmother. | 2) Nous téléphonons au médecin. = We phone the doctor. | Note: Contrast: appeler quelqu’un (no à) / téléphoner à quelqu’un.

to call in order to do something | 1) Je téléphone pour demander un rendez-vous. = I call to ask for an appointment. | 2) Il téléphone pour confirmer l’heure. = He calls to confirm the time.

to ask someone FOR something | 1) Je demande une information au professeur. = I ask the teacher for information. | 2) Elle demande l’adresse à son ami. = She asks her friend for the address. | Note: French pattern: ask THING to PERSON.

[Useful extension] | to ask someone TO do something | 1) Je demande à mon collègue de m’aider. = I ask my colleague to help me. | 2) Elle demande aux enfants de parler moins fort. = She asks the children to speak more quietly. | Note: Pattern: demander À person DE action.

to ask someone for help | 1) Je demande de l’aide à mon professeur. = I ask my teacher for help. | 2) Nous demandons de l’aide à nos amis. = We ask our friends for help. | Note: de l’aide is a partitive noun phrase; it is not the de of demander de faire.

to give something TO someone | 1) Je donne le livre à Marie. = I give the book to Marie. | 2) Elle donne des fleurs à sa mère. = She gives flowers to her mother.

to give something for an occasion | 1) Je donne un cadeau pour son anniversaire. = I give a present for her birthday. | 2) Nous donnons des fleurs pour la fête. = We give flowers for the celebration.

to send something TO someone | 1) J’envoie un message à mon ami. = I send a message to my friend. | 2) Nous envoyons un courriel au professeur. = We send an email to the teacher. | Note: Present: j’envoie / nous envoyons.

to send something BY a particular method | 1) J’envoie le document par courriel. = I send the document by email. | 2) Elle envoie la lettre par la poste. = She sends the letter by post.

Working, studying, thinking, liking, starting and trying. Compare verb + direct object with verb + preposition. | 1) Review the following constructions aloud before flipping. = Say an example from memory.

to work | 1) Je travaille aujourd’hui. = I am working today. | 2) Elle travaille beaucoup. = She works a lot.

to work IN a place or field | 1) Je travaille dans un laboratoire. = I work in a laboratory. | 2) Elle travaille dans une banque. = She works in a bank.

to work AT a workplace or institution | 1) Je travaille à l’université. = I work at the university. | 2) Il travaille à la bibliothèque. = He works at the library.

to work ON a project or task | 1) Je travaille sur un projet. = I am working on a project. | 2) Nous travaillons sur un problème difficile. = We are working on a difficult problem.

to work WITH someone or something | 1) Je travaille avec mes collègues. = I work with my colleagues. | 2) Elle travaille avec un ordinateur. = She works with a computer.

to work FOR an employer | 1) Je travaille pour une entreprise suisse. = I work for a Swiss company. | 2) Il travaille pour une petite société. = He works for a small firm.

to work as a team | 1) Nous travaillons en équipe. = We work as a team. | 2) J’aime travailler en équipe. = I like working in a team.

to study a subject; no preposition | 1) J’étudie le français. = I study French. | 2) Nous étudions la grammaire. = We study grammar.

to study AT an institution | 1) J’étudie à l’université. = I study at university. | 2) Elle étudie à l’école de langues. = She studies at the language school.

to study FOR an exam | 1) J’étudie pour un examen. = I study for an exam. | 2) Nous étudions pour le contrôle de français. = We study for the French test.

to study WITH someone | 1) J’étudie avec un ami. = I study with a friend. | 2) Nous étudions avec notre professeur. = We study with our teacher.

to think ABOUT / have someone or something in mind | 1) Je pense à ma famille. = I am thinking about my family. | 2) Elle pense à ses vacances. = She is thinking about her holidays. | Note: Different from penser DE: asking an opinion.

[Useful extension] | to think OF something (opinion); often in a question | 1) Qu’est-ce que tu penses de ce film ? = What do you think of this film? | 2) Que pensez-vous de cette idée ? = What do you think of this idea? | Note: Contrast penser À = think about.

to think THAT; give an opinion | 1) Je pense que c’est une bonne idée. = I think that it is a good idea. | 2) Elle pense que le cours est utile. = She thinks that the course is useful.

[Useful extension] | to remember / think to do something | 1) Pense à fermer la porte. = Remember to close the door. | 2) Je pense à appeler ma mère. = I am thinking of calling my mother. | Note: Meaning varies by context.

to start DOING something | 1) Je commence à apprendre le français. = I am starting to learn French. | 2) Nous commençons à travailler à neuf heures. = We start working at nine. | Note: Spelling: nous commençons.

[Useful extension] | to start WITH something / by doing something | 1) Je commence par un café. = I start with a coffee. | 2) Nous commençons par lire le texte. = We start by reading the text. | Note: This expresses the first step.

to start an activity; no preposition | 1) Je commence le travail à neuf heures. = I start work at nine. | 2) Le cours commence à huit heures. = The class starts at eight.

to try TO do something | 1) J’essaie de parler français chaque jour. = I try to speak French every day. | 2) Nous essayons de comprendre la question. = We try to understand the question. | Note: j’essaie / j’essaye are both correct.

to try or try ON something; no preposition | 1) J’essaie cette veste. = I am trying on this jacket. | 2) Elle essaie sa nouvelle robe. = She tries on her new dress.

to prefer a thing or an activity | 1) Je préfère le thé. = I prefer tea. | 2) Elle préfère étudier le matin. = She prefers studying in the morning. | Note: Spelling: je préfère / nous préférons.

[Useful extension] | to prefer A TO B | 1) Je préfère le thé au café. = I prefer tea to coffee. | 2) Nous préférons travailler à la maison plutôt qu’au bureau. = We prefer working at home rather than at the office. | Note: The comparison can also use plutôt que.

to like or love a thing/person | 1) J’aime le café. = I like coffee. | 2) Elle aime sa famille. = She loves her family.

to like DOING something | 1) J’aime parler français. = I like speaking French. | 2) Nous aimons voyager en train. = We like travelling by train.

to really dislike or hate a thing | 1) Je déteste le bruit. = I hate noise. | 2) Il déteste le froid. = He hates the cold.

to hate DOING something | 1) Je déteste attendre. = I hate waiting. | 2) Elle déteste travailler le dimanche. = She hates working on Sundays.

to really love something | 1) J’adore cette ville. = I love this city. | 2) Elle adore le chocolat. = She loves chocolate.

to love DOING something | 1) J’adore jouer aux cartes. = I love playing cards. | 2) Nous adorons cuisiner ensemble. = We love cooking together.

to help someone; no preposition before person | 1) J’aide ma sœur. = I help my sister. | 2) Nous aidons nos amis. = We help our friends.

to help someone DO something | 1) J’aide mon ami à étudier. = I help my friend study. | 2) Elle aide son frère à cuisiner. = She helps her brother cook.

Living, walking, coming home, meeting, and movements. Focus on à / en / au / dans / chez / de. | 1) Review the following constructions aloud before flipping. = Say an example from memory.

to live IN a city | 1) J’habite à Lausanne. = I live in Lausanne. | 2) Elle habite à Genève. = She lives in Geneva.

to live IN a feminine country | 1) J’habite en Suisse. = I live in Switzerland. | 2) Ils habitent en France. = They live in France.

to live IN a masculine country | 1) Il habite au Canada. = He lives in Canada. | 2) Nous habitons au Portugal. = We live in Portugal.

to live IN a particular homeuilding | 1) J’habite dans un petit appartement. = I live in a small apartment. | 2) Elle habite dans une maison. = She lives in a house.

to live NEAR a place | 1) J’habite près du centre-ville. = I live near the town centre. | 2) Nous habitons près de la gare. = We live near the train station. | Note: près de + le = près du.

to live WITH someone | 1) J’habite avec ma famille. = I live with my family. | 2) Elle habite avec une amie. = She lives with a female friend.

to live ON a given floor | 1) J’habite au deuxième étage. = I live on the second floor. | 2) Il habite au troisième étage. = He lives on the third floor. | Note: au = à + le; un étage is masculine.

to walk; also for a device: to work / function | 1) Je marche tous les jours. = I walk every day. | 2) Cette machine marche bien. = This machine works well.

to walk IN a place | 1) Je marche dans le parc. = I walk in the park. | 2) Nous marchons dans la forêt. = We walk in the forest.

to walk WITH someone | 1) Elle marche avec son chien. = She walks with her dog. | 2) Je marche avec mes amis. = I walk with my friends.

to walk TOWARDS somewhere | 1) Je marche vers la gare. = I walk towards the station. | 2) Nous marchons vers le centre-ville. = We walk towards the town centre.

to return home | 1) Je rentre à la maison à six heures. = I go home at six. | 2) Nous rentrons à la maison le soir. = We go home in the evening.

to come back FROM a place | 1) Je rentre du travail. = I am coming back from work. | 2) Elle rentre de la banque. = She is coming back from the bank. | Note: de + le = du.

to return to someone’s home / one’s own place | 1) Je rentre chez moi. = I am going back to my place. | 2) Nous rentrons chez nos parents. = We are going back to our parents’ home.

to enter / go inside a place | 1) Je rentre dans la maison. = I go into the house. | 2) Elle rentre dans le bureau. = She enters the office. | Note: Compare rentrer À la maison = return home.

to meet up at a place | 1) On se retrouve au café ? = Shall we meet at the café? | 2) Nous nous retrouvons à la gare. = We meet up at the train station. | Note: Reflexive verb: je me retrouve, nous nous retrouvons.

to meet up in front of somewhere | 1) On se retrouve devant le cinéma. = We will meet in front of the cinema. | 2) Ils se retrouvent devant l’école. = They meet up in front of the school.

to be located at a place | 1) La banque se trouve au centre-ville. = The bank is located in the town centre. | 2) La machine se trouve au deuxième étage. = The machine is on the second floor. | Note: Useful formal alternative to être + place.

to be located near somewhere | 1) La poste se trouve près de la gare. = The post office is near the station. | 2) Le laboratoire se trouve près du bureau. = The laboratory is near the office.

to jump INTO something | 1) L’enfant saute dans l’eau. = The child jumps into the water. | 2) Le chien saute dans la piscine. = The dog jumps into the pool.

to jump ONTO something | 1) Le chat saute sur la table. = The cat jumps onto the table. | 2) L’enfant saute sur son lit. = The child jumps onto the bed.

[Useful extension] | to jump OVER an obstacle | 1) Le chien saute par-dessus la barrière. = The dog jumps over the fence. | 2) Elle saute par-dessus une flaque d’eau. = She jumps over a puddle. | Note: Recognition-level extension.

to travel BY a mode of transport | 1) Je voyage en train. = I travel by train. | 2) Nous voyageons en avion. = We travel by plane. | Note: For a vehicle: en train, en avion, en voiture.

to travel WITH someone | 1) Je voyage avec ma sœur. = I travel with my sister. | 2) Ils voyagent avec des amis. = They travel with friends.

to travel FOR a reason | 1) Je voyage pour le travail. = I travel for work. | 2) Elle voyage pour ses vacances. = She travels for her holidays.

to arrive AT a place | 1) J’arrive à la gare. = I arrive at the station. | 2) Nous arrivons au bureau à neuf heures. = We arrive at the office at nine.

to arrive IN a feminine country | 1) J’arrive en Suisse demain. = I arrive in Switzerland tomorrow. | 2) Elle arrive en France lundi. = She arrives in France on Monday.

to arrive late / on time | 1) J’arrive en retard au travail. = I arrive late at work. | 2) Elle arrive à l’heure. = She arrives on time.

to use something; no preposition before the object | 1) J’utilise un ordinateur. = I use a computer. | 2) Nous utilisons ce logiciel. = We use this software.

to use something TO do an activity | 1) J’utilise mon téléphone pour écouter du français. = I use my phone to listen to French. | 2) Elle utilise un ordinateur pour étudier. = She uses a computer to study.

to count UP TO a number | 1) Je compte jusqu’à dix. = I count to ten. | 2) Les enfants comptent jusqu’à vingt. = The children count up to twenty.

[Useful extension] | to count ON / rely on someone | 1) Je compte sur toi. = I am counting on you. | 2) Nous comptons sur nos amis. = We rely on our friends. | Note: Useful idiom; more advanced than counting numbers.

Eating, cooking, buying, paying, carrying, cutting and adding. Distinguish prepositions from partitive articles. | 1) Review the following constructions aloud before flipping. = Say an example from memory.

to eat something; direct object | 1) Je mange une pomme. = I am eating an apple. | 2) Nous mangeons une pizza. = We are eating a pizza. | Note: Spelling: nous mangeons.

to eat some (food); these are partitive articles | 1) Je mange du pain. = I eat some bread. | 2) Elle mange de la soupe. = She eats soup. | Note: Not a special preposition required by manger.

to eat WITH someone | 1) Je mange avec mes collègues. = I eat with my colleagues. | 2) Nous mangeons avec nos amis. = We eat with our friends.

to eat AT a particular place | 1) Je mange au restaurant. = I eat at the restaurant. | 2) Nous mangeons à la cantine. = We eat at the cafeteria. | Note: au = à + le.

to cook a dish | 1) Je cuisine des légumes. = I cook vegetables. | 2) Elle cuisine du poisson. = She cooks fish.

to cook FOR someone | 1) Je cuisine pour ma famille. = I cook for my family. | 2) Nous cuisinons pour nos amis. = We cook for our friends.

to cook WITH an ingredient | 1) Je cuisine avec des légumes frais. = I cook with fresh vegetables. | 2) Elle cuisine avec de l’huile d’olive. = She cooks with olive oil.

to buy something; direct object | 1) J’achète du pain. = I buy bread. | 2) Nous achetons des vêtements. = We buy clothes. | Note: Spelling: j’achète / nous achetons.

to buy FROM a shop or seller | 1) J’achète du pain chez le boulanger. = I buy bread at the baker’s. | 2) Elle achète de la viande chez le boucher. = She buys meat at the butcher’s.

to buy something FOR someone | 1) J’achète un cadeau pour ma sœur. = I buy a gift for my sister. | 2) Nous achetons des fleurs pour notre mère. = We buy flowers for our mother.

[Useful extension] | to buy something FROM someone | 1) J’achète un vélo à mon ami. = I buy a bicycle from my friend. | 2) Elle achète une voiture à un particulier. = She buys a car from a private seller. | Note: With a seller, acheter à means buy FROM. With a recipient, acheter à can sometimes mean buy FOR; use pour to avoid ambiguity.

to pay for an item or bill; no pour needed | 1) Je paie l’addition. = I pay the bill. | 2) Elle paie les courses. = She pays for the groceries. | Note: je paie / je paye both correct.

to pay BY card | 1) Je paie par carte. = I pay by card. | 2) Vous payez par carte ? = Are you paying by card?

to pay WITH a payment method | 1) Je paie avec ma carte bancaire. = I pay with my bank card. | 2) Elle paie avec son téléphone. = She pays with her phone.

to pay IN cash | 1) Je paie en espèces. = I pay in cash. | 2) Tu paies en liquide ? = Are you paying in cash? | Note: en espèces and en liquide are both common.

to pay FOR someone | 1) Je paie pour mon ami. = I pay for my friend. | 2) Aujourd’hui, elle paie pour nous. = Today, she pays for us. | Note: Contrast payer l’addition (pay the bill) / payer pour quelqu’un (pay for a person).

to wear clothing | 1) Je porte un manteau noir. = I wear a black coat. | 2) Elle porte une robe bleue. = She is wearing a blue dress.

to carry something | 1) Je porte un sac lourd. = I carry a heavy bag. | 2) Il porte une boîte. = He is carrying a box. | Note: Same verb, different meaning from wearing clothes.

to cut something | 1) Je coupe le pain. = I cut the bread. | 2) Elle coupe le gâteau. = She cuts the cake.

to cut WITH a tool | 1) Je coupe le pain avec un couteau. = I cut the bread with a knife. | 2) Elle coupe le papier avec des ciseaux. = She cuts the paper with scissors.

to cut INTO pieces | 1) Je coupe la pomme en deux. = I cut the apple in half. | 2) Nous coupons les légumes en petits morceaux. = We cut the vegetables into small pieces.

to add something TO something | 1) J’ajoute du sucre au café. = I add sugar to the coffee. | 2) Elle ajoute du sel à la soupe. = She adds salt to the soup. | Note: au = à + le; du sucre is a partitive article.

to add something, without a specified destination | 1) J’ajoute du lait. = I add milk. | 2) Nous ajoutons un peu de sel. = We add a little salt.

Playing, watching, swimming, singing, and other regular -ER verbs. Learn which verbs take NO preposition. | 1) Review the following constructions aloud before flipping. = Say an example from memory.

to play a sport or game | 1) Je joue au tennis. = I play tennis. | 2) Nous jouons aux cartes. = We play cards. | Note: à + le = au; à + les = aux.

to play a musical instrument | 1) Elle joue de la guitare. = She plays the guitar. | 2) Il joue du piano. = He plays the piano. | Note: de + le = du.

to play WITH someone or something | 1) Je joue avec mes amis. = I play with my friends. | 2) L’enfant joue avec son chien. = The child plays with his dog.

to play IN a place | 1) Les enfants jouent dans le parc. = The children play in the park. | 2) Elle joue dans le jardin. = She plays in the garden.

to watch or look AT; NO à before the object | 1) Je regarde la télévision. = I watch TV. | 2) Elle regarde son professeur. = She looks at her teacher. | Note: Not: regarder à la télévision when meaning the direct object.

[Useful extension] | to look OUT THROUGH a window or opening | 1) Je regarde par la fenêtre. = I look out of the window. | 2) Elle regarde par la porte ouverte. = She looks through the open door. | Note: Additional practical construction.

to swim AT the pool | 1) Je nage à la piscine. = I swim at the swimming pool. | 2) Nous nageons à la piscine le samedi. = We swim at the pool on Saturdays. | Note: Spelling: nous nageons.

to swim IN the water/sea/lake | 1) Je nage dans la mer. = I swim in the sea. | 2) Ils nagent dans le lac. = They swim in the lake.

to swim WITH someone | 1) Je nage avec mon frère. = I swim with my brother. | 2) Nous nageons avec des amis. = We swim with friends.

to sing a song; direct object | 1) Je chante une chanson. = I sing a song. | 2) Elle chante une chanson française. = She sings a French song.

to sing IN a choir | 1) Elle chante dans une chorale. = She sings in a choir. | 2) Nous chantons dans une chorale le mercredi. = We sing in a choir on Wednesdays.

to sing WITH someone | 1) Je chante avec mes amis. = I sing with my friends. | 2) Il chante avec son frère. = He sings with his brother.