20 ER Verbs in French
20 ER Verbs in French : If you’re learning French, mastering -ER verbs is one of the first and most important steps! They form the largest group of verbs in French, and they follow a regular pattern when conjugated. Once you learn how to conjugate one -ER verb, you can easily apply it to hundreds of others.
These verbs are essential for daily conversation — whether you’re talking about eating, loving, working, or studying. Below is a list of 30 common -ER verbs, along with their English meanings and pronunciations to help you sound more natural while speaking.
| French Verb | English Translation | Pronunciation (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Aimer | To love / like | eh-may |
| Parler | To speak | par-lay |
| Chanter | To sing | shan-tay |
| Travailler | To work | tra-vai-yay |
| Étudier | To study | ay-tu-dee-yay |
| Regarder | To watch / look at | ruh-gar-day |
| Écouter | To listen | ay-koo-tay |
| Marcher | To walk | mar-shay |
| Jouer | To play | zhoo-ay |
| Manger | To eat | mon-zhay |
| Nager | To swim | nah-zhay |
| Aider | To help | eh-day |
| Danser | To dance | don-say |
| Cuisiner | To cook | kwee-zee-nay |
| Voyager | To travel | vwa-yah-zhay |
| Appeler | To call | ah-peh-lay |
| Trouver | To find | troo-vay |
| Donner | To give | doh-nay |
| Penser | To think | pon-say |
| Fermer | To close | fair-may |
| Oublier | To forget | oo-blee-yay |
| Commencer | To start / begin | koh-mon-say |
| Chercher | To search / look for | sher-shay |
| Arriver | To arrive | ah-ree-vay |
| Demander | To ask | duh-mon-day |
| Rester | To stay | res-tay |
| Porter | To wear / carry | por-tay |
| Laver | To wash | lah-vay |
| Monter | To go up / climb | mon-tay |
| Tomber | To fall | tom-bay |