French verbs don’t have to be a headache. The quickest way to get them right is to learn by speaking, listening, and focusing on the verbs you’ll use most—both regular and irregular.
When you practice with real conversations, train your ear with audio, and repeat verbs in context, you’ll remember them faster and start using them naturally.
At French As You Like It, we’ve seen hundreds of students, online and in Paris, turn verb conjugation from something intimidating into something that flows without thinking.
Why Learning French Verbs Feels Difficult (and Why It Doesn’t Have to Be)
French verbs change endings depending on the subject, tense, and mood. Compared to English, where most verbs hardly change, this can feel overwhelming at first. Add in irregular verbs that don’t follow predictable patterns, and you can see why learners sometimes stall here.
The secret? Learn verbs the way French people use them, such as in conversation, in context, and with correct pronunciation from the start.
For example, the English verb “to speak” barely changes:
- I speak
- You speak
- He/She speaks
But in French, the same verb, parler, takes many forms:
- Je parle
- Tu parles
- Il parle
- Nous parlons
- Vous parlez
- Ils parlent
It can feel like a lot to memorise, but here’s the secret: French people don’t learn verbs by studying charts. They learn them by hearing and using them in everyday conversation.
Step 1 – Start with the Most Useful Verbs
Instead of trying to learn every verb in the dictionary, focus on essential verbs you’ll use daily. These include:
- Être – to be
- Avoir – to have
- Aller – to go
- Faire – to do/make
- Pouvoir – can
- Vouloir – to want
- Prendre – to take
- Dire – to say
- Voir – to see
These verbs appear constantly in conversation and help you build hundreds of sentences even as a beginner.
Step 2 – Learn with Audio to Perfect Pronunciation
French verbs often look different but sound the same in speech. For example:
- Je parle
- Tu parles
- Il parle
- Ils parlent
All of these verbs sound like “parl” in everyday French. If you only learn verbs visually, you risk mispronouncing them or over-pronouncing silent letters.
That’s why listening and repeating are essential. In our online French courses, we pair every written exercise with speaking practice so your ear and tongue learn together.
Step 3 – Always Learn Verbs with Their Pronouns
Memorising verb endings alone—like e, es, and ons—is less effective than learning full verb-pronoun pairs. For example:
- Je mange (I eat)
- Nous mangeons (We eat)
This helps you remember correct liaison and elision rules, such as when nous links to a vowel sound or when a final consonant is pronounced.
Step 4 – Mix Regular and Irregular Verbs from the Beginning
Many traditional courses start with only regular verbs because they follow predictable patterns (parler → je parle, tu parles, il parle). But in real life, irregular verbs like aller (to go) and faire (to do) constantly appear.
Mixing both from the start prevents the shock of suddenly facing irregular forms later.
Step 5 – Drill Verbs in Random Order
Most textbooks have you conjugate from “je” to “ils.” This seems logical, but your brain starts to “expect” the order, which makes you weaker at recalling certain forms—especially ils/elles.
By practising in random order—nous, je, ils, vous, tu, elle—you train yourself to recall each form independently, just like in conversation.
Step 6 – Practice Affirmative, Negative, and Questions
You don’t just say “I speak” in real life. You also need:
- Negative: Je ne parle pas (I don’t speak)
- Question: Parlez-vous? (Do you speak?)
- Negative question: Ne parlez-vous pas ? (Don’t you speak?)
Including all forms from the start helps you respond naturally in conversation.
Step 7 – Immerse Yourself in Real Contexts
The fastest way to make verbs stick is to use them daily in situations where meaning matters. That could be:
- Ordering at a café – Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît. (I would like a coffee, please.)
- Asking for directions—Où allez-vous? (Where are you going?)
- Making plans—Nous faisons une promenade demain. (We are going for a walk tomorrow.)
In Paris, everyday moments like these turn grammar into real, living language.
Extra Tip – Group Verbs by Sound, Not Just Ending
Sometimes verbs are easier to remember when you focus on their shared pronunciation rather than just their spelling group (er, ir, re). For example, parler, penser, and aimer all share similar present tense sounds for je, tu, il/elle.
Final Words
Mastering French verbs isn’t about memorising endless charts—it’s about speaking, hearing, and using them in real-life situations. Focus on high-use verbs, mix regular and irregular from the start, practice with audio, and always drill in context.
With a personalised, immersive approach like French As You Like It offers, you’ll not only understand French verbs, you’ll use them confidently in conversation.