🗣️ Most Commonly Used French Words: Verbs of Communication

Communication is at the heart of language. In French, there are many verbs used to express, ask, tell, explain, or discuss something.

These are called verbs of communication, and they are among the most common words you’ll hear in everyday conversations.

This lesson introduces the most important French communication verbs, with meanings, examples, and tips for learners.

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1. Parler – to speak, to talk

• Je parle français. → I speak French.

• Tu parles trop vite. → You speak too fast.

👉 Can be followed by à (to someone) or de (about something).

• Je parle à mon ami. → I talk to my friend.

• On parle de politique. → We talk about politics.

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2. Dire – to say, to tell

• Elle dit la vérité. → She tells the truth.

• Que dis-tu ? → What are you saying?

👉 Use dire à quelqu’un = to tell someone.

• Il m’a dit la réponse. → He told me the answer.

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3. Demander – to ask

• Je demande une question. → I ask a question.

• Il a demandé à Marie de l’aider. → He asked Marie to help him.

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4. Raconter – to tell, to narrate

• Raconte-moi une histoire. → Tell me a story.

• Elle a raconté son voyage. → She told about her trip.

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5. Répondre – to answer, to reply

• Il répond à la question. → He answers the question.

• Tu dois répondre à ta mère. → You must answer your mother.

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6. Appeler – to call

• J’appelle mon frère. → I’m calling my brother.

• Appelle-moi ce soir. → Call me tonight.

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7. Écrire – to write

• Elle écrit une lettre. → She is writing a letter.

• J’écris à mon ami tous les jours. → I write to my friend every day.

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8. Lire – to read (communication through reading)

• Je lis un livre. → I am reading a book.

• Tu lis le journal ? → Do you read the newspaper?

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9. Expliquer – to explain

• Le professeur explique la règle. → The teacher explains the rule.

• Explique-moi encore, s’il te plaît. → Explain to me again, please.

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10. Exprimer – to express

• J’exprime mes idées clairement. → I express my ideas clearly.

• Il exprime ses émotions. → He expresses his emotions.

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11. Annoncer – to announce

• Ils annoncent une bonne nouvelle. → They are announcing good news.

• Le maire a annoncé un projet important. → The mayor announced an important project.

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12. Discuter – to discuss, to chat

• Nous discutons du problème. → We are discussing the problem.

• On discute souvent après le travail. → We often chat after work.

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13. Informer – to inform, to notify

• Je vous informe du changement. → I inform you of the change.

• Elle m’a informé de la situation. → She informed me about the situation.

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14. Préciser – to clarify, to specify

• Peux-tu préciser ta question ? → Can you clarify your question?

• Le guide a précisé les horaires. → The guide specified the schedule.

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15. Avouer – to admit, to confess

• Il a avoué son erreur. → He admitted his mistake.

• J’avoue que j’ai peur. → I confess that I am afraid.

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✅ Quick Recap

The most common French communication verbs include:

• parler, dire, demander, répondre, raconter, appeler

• écrire, lire, expliquer, exprimer, annoncer, discuter, informer, préciser, avouer

👉 These verbs are used daily in conversations, reading, writing, and storytelling.

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🎯 Practice Exercise

Fill in the blanks with the correct verb of communication:

1. Le professeur ______ la règle aux étudiants. (to explain)

2. Je ______ une lettre à ma sœur. (to write)

3. Peux-tu me ______ la vérité ? (to tell)

4. Nous ______ du voyage hier soir. (to talk/discuss)

5. Il a ______ son erreur. (to confess)

Answers:

1. explique

2. écris

3. dire

4. avons parlé / avons discuté

5. avoué

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Conclusion

Learning French verbs of communication is essential because they appear constantly in everyday conversations. Mastering them will help you ask questions, share ideas, tell stories, and interact naturally in French.

👉 Pro tip: When learning each verb, practice it with à/de + quelqu’un/quelque chose so you remember the correct structure.