Most Common -OIR Verbs in French 📖🇫🇷

Unlike -ER and -IR verbs, the -OIR verbs are fewer in number but extremely important. Many of them are irregular and among the most frequently used verbs in French. If you want to speak fluently, you’ll need to master these verbs early on.

This guide gives you the most common -OIR verbs in French, with their English meanings, notes on irregularities, and example sentences.

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🔑 Why Learn -OIR Verbs?

• They include some of the most essential verbs in everyday French.

• They are often irregular, so memorization is key.

• They’re used to express necessity, ability, possession, and perception.

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📝 Most Common -OIR Verbs in French

Here are the key -OIR verbs every learner should know:

1. Avoir – to have

2. Pouvoir – to be able to, can

3. Vouloir – to want

4. Devoir – must, to have to

5. Recevoir – to receive

6. Apercevoir – to notice, to catch sight of

7. S’apercevoir (de) – to realize

8. Prévoir – to foresee, to plan

9. Revoir – to see again

10. Entrevoir – to glimpse

👉 Example: Je dois partir maintenant.
(I have to leave now.)

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⚠️ Notes on Conjugation

Unlike -ER and -IR verbs, the -OIR group doesn’t have a single regular pattern. Each verb has its own irregular conjugation. For example:

• Vouloir (to want)

  • Je veux – I want

  • Tu veux – You want

  • Il/elle veut – He/She wants

  • Nous voulons – We want

  • Vous voulez – You want

  • Ils/elles veulent – They want

• Pouvoir (to be able to, can)

  • Je peux – I can

  • Tu peux – You can

  • Il/elle peut – He/She can

  • Nous pouvons – We can

  • Vous pouvez – You can

  • Ils/elles peuvent – They can

👉 Memorization is necessary, as -OIR verbs don’t follow a neat, single model.

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💬 Example Sentences

• J’ai un livre intéressant. – I have an interesting book.

• Tu peux venir demain ? – Can you come tomorrow?

• Elle veut apprendre le français. – She wants to learn French.

• Nous devons finir ce projet. – We must finish this project.

• Il a reçu une lettre importante. – He received an important letter.

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🎯 Practice Activity

👉 Write 5 sentences in French using different -OIR verbs. For example:

• Je veux un café. (I want a coffee.)

• Nous pouvons attendre. (We can wait.)

• Ils doivent étudier ce soir. (They must study tonight.)

• J’ai reçu un cadeau. (I received a gift.)

• Elle prévoit un voyage en France. (She is planning a trip to France.)

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✅ Conclusion

The -OIR verbs in French are less numerous but extremely important. They include some of the most used verbs in daily life, like vouloir, pouvoir, devoir, and avoir. Since most of them are irregular, practice and repetition are the keys to mastering them.

If you liked this, check out our other guides on -ER verbs and -IR verbs to complete your knowledge of French verb groups!