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Starter list

Which French verbs to learn first

Start with être, avoir, aller, and faire — then add a short list of modal and daily-life verbs. Drill each one in the five tenses you actually use, not every verb in the dictionary.

Most beginner lists dump fifty infinitives at once. Everyday French runs on a much smaller active set. New to patterns or tense order? Start with the roadmap · how many tenses you need.

You don't need to know every tense. You need to actually remember the ones you use.

Tier 1 — Four verbs you cannot skip

Learn these in présent before anything else. Être and avoir also power passé composé; aller builds futur proche (je vais…); faire appears in dozens of fixed expressions.

Full six-person tables are in our conjugation roadmap (Step 4). Search each verb in French Bites and drill présent until the forms feel familiar — then add passé composé (red column).

Tier 2 — Modals and high-frequency irregulars

Add these one at a time, always in short sentences — not as isolated grids:

These seven plus Tier 1 cover ability, obligation, desire, movement, and basic narration — the backbone of café and travel French.

Tier 3 — Regular -er verbs for daily life

Once the -er pattern is automatic (full pattern guide), add verbs you will actually say:

You do not need every -er verb in a frequency list — you need a pattern plus a handful of words tied to your life. Pick verbs from scenarios you care about (food, work, travel) and drill them in the app.

How French Bites picks its default nine

The app highlights nine verbs for quick access (customizable when signed in): être, avoir, aller, partir, dire, prendre, devoir, vouloir, manger. That mix mirrors this list: Tier 1 essentials, Tier 2 modals, one daily -er verb, and partir for irregular -ir practice. Use them as shortcuts — not as the only verbs you will ever learn.

How to work through the list (depth, not speed)

  1. One verb at a time — présent first, all six persons out loud
  2. One tense column next — passé composé when présent is solid; see tense order
  3. Sentences, not lists — Je peux manger ici beats copying a grid
  4. Same colors every session — yellow présent, red passé composé, etc.
  5. Revisit weak forms — see memory guide and daily practice routine

There is no deadline to “finish” the list. Many learners spend months on Tier 1 alone — that is normal.

FAQ

What French verbs should I learn first?

Start with être, avoir, aller, and faire in the present tense — they appear in almost every conversation and build passé composé. Next add pouvoir, vouloir, devoir, venir, prendre, and dire. Then add regular -er verbs like parler, manger, and aimer using the -er pattern. Drill each verb in five core tenses (présent through conditionnel), one tense column at a time.

Should I learn être and avoir before other French verbs?

Yes. Être and avoir are auxiliaries for passé composé and appear constantly on their own (je suis, j'ai). Without solid présent forms of both, past tense practice stays shaky. Learn their present tense first, then add aller and faire before expanding to modal verbs and regular -er verbs.

How many French verbs do you need to start speaking?

There is no magic number — depth beats breadth. Many learners can handle basic exchanges once ten to fifteen high-frequency verbs are automatic in présent and passé composé, but that takes months of contact, not a weekend list. Focus on a small set drilled in real sentences across five core tenses rather than collecting hundreds of infinitives.

What are the most important irregular French verbs for beginners?

Être, avoir, aller, and faire first — then pouvoir (je peux), vouloir (je veux), devoir (je dois), venir (je viens), prendre (je prends), and dire (je dis). Each unlocks everyday phrases: ability, desire, obligation, movement, and reporting speech. Look up full conjugations in French Bites and drill one verb at a time.

Try it: search être or pouvoir and drill one color-coded tense.

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Related guides: How many French tenses do you need? · how to learn conjugation · -er, -ir, -re verbs · daily practice · practice by level (A1–B1) · all guides