Most common -oir verbs in French
If you’re learning French, you may have noticed that there are several verb endings to keep track of. One of these is the -oir ending, which is found in many common verbs.
Here are some of the most common -oir verbs in French, along with their English translations:
- Savoir – to know
- Pouvoir – to be able to
- Devoir – to have to
- Recevoir – to receive
- Falloir – to have to (impersonal)
- Valoir – to be worth
- Émouvoir – to move (feelings)
- Pourvoir – to provide
- Promouvoir – to promote
- Décevoir – to disappoint
- S’asseoir – to sit down
- Déchoir – to fall from grace
- Boire – to drink (note: conjugated like an -re verb, but ends in -oir)
- Croire – to believe
- Se mouvoir – to move oneself (formal/literary)
- Voir and all its compound forms not yet listed:
- Revoir – to see again
- Entrevoir – to glimpse, to catch sight of
- Prévoir – to foresee, to plan
- Apercevoir – to notice, to perceive
- S’apercevoir – to realize, to notice (reflexive form of apercevoir)
- Pourvoir – to provide, to equip (often used in “pourvoir à un poste”)
- Concevoir – to conceive, to design
- Décevoir – to disappoint
- Percevoir – to perceive, to collect (e.g. taxes)
As you can see, many of these verbs are very common and important for communication in French. Some of them, like savoir and voir, are essential for basic conversation, while others like couvrir and découvrir are important for describing the world around us. Learning these verbs and their conjugations is a key step in becoming more fluent in French.
In addition to these common verbs, there are also many -oir verbs that are more specialized. For example, renvoyer means to dismiss or fire, while dévoir means to owe. These verbs are important for specific situations, but may not be used as frequently in everyday conversation.
Overall, the -oir verb ending is an important part of French grammar and vocabulary. By learning the most common -oir verbs, you’ll be well on your way to communicating effectively in French.