The First 20 French Verbs Every Beginner Should Learn

If you want to start speaking French quickly, verbs matter more than long grammar explanations. Once you know a small group of high-frequency verbs, you can describe actions, habits, needs, and simple thoughts much more easily.

Why these 20 verbs matter first

These verbs appear again and again in beginner conversations. They help you talk about identity, movement, preferences, work, study, food, and daily life.

The first 20 French verbs to learn

1. etre = to be
2. avoir = to have
3. aller = to go
4. faire = to do / make
5. venir = to come
6. parler = to speak
7. aimer = to like
8. manger = to eat
9. boire = to drink
10. etudier = to study
11. travailler = to work
12. habiter = to live
13. regarder = to watch
14. ecouter = to listen
15. prendre = to take
16. acheter = to buy
17. donner = to give
18. chercher = to look for
19. trouver = to find
20. comprendre = to understand

Examples with beginner sentences

• Je suis fatigue. = I am tired.
• J’ai un cours de francais. = I have a French class.
• Je vais a l’ecole. = I am going to school.
• Je fais mes devoirs. = I am doing my homework.
• Je viens d’Italie. = I come from Italy.
• Je parle un peu francais. = I speak a little French.
• J’aime la musique francaise. = I like French music.
• Je mange a midi. = I eat at noon.
• Je bois un cafe. = I drink a coffee.
• J’etudie le soir. = I study in the evening.

Do you need full conjugation tables now?

No. At the beginning, it is better to learn a useful sentence with each verb than to memorize every form. Start with je, then add tu, il/elle, and nous little by little.

A simple way to review these verbs

• learn 5 verbs at a time
• write one true sentence for each verb
• say the sentence aloud
• review old verbs before adding new ones

Mini practice challenge

Use these verbs to write your own short paragraph:

etre, habiter, parler, aimer, etudier

Example: Je suis etudiant. J’habite a Hambourg. Je parle un peu francais. J’aime les langues. J’etudie tous les jours.

Final tip

Beginners do not need more verbs. They need better repetition of the right verbs. These 20 are enough to unlock a lot of simple communication.