Other important verbs (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
Other important verbs
French has many irregular verbs that don't follow standard conjugation patterns, making them essential to memorise. These six verbs are among the most frequently used in everyday French conversation and writing.
Key vocabulary
| French | English | Type |
|---|---|---|
| aller | to go | irregular verb |
| faire | to do/make | irregular verb |
| pouvoir | to be able to/can | modal verb |
| vouloir | to want to | modal verb |
| devoir | to have to/must | modal verb |
| savoir | to know how to | irregular verb |
| la piscine | swimming pool | noun (f) |
| le cinéma | cinema | noun (m) |
| les devoirs | homework | noun (m.pl) |
| conduire | to drive | verb |
This vocabulary table contains the core verbs and related nouns you'll need to master for basic French communication. Pay special attention to the distinction between irregular verbs and modal verbs, as they behave differently in sentences.
Aller (to go)
This fundamental verb expresses movement and is completely irregular in its conjugation patterns.
Present tense conjugation:
- je vais (I go/am going)
- tu vas (you go/are going)
- il/elle/on va (he/she/one goes/is going)
- nous allons (we go/are going)
- vous allez (you go/are going - formal/plural)
- ils/elles vont (they go/are going)
Usage Example: Going to Places
Nous allons à la piscine. - We are going to the swimming pool.
Notice how "aller" is followed by the preposition "à" (to) when indicating destination.
Notice that the ils/elles form (vont) sounds completely different from the infinitive, making this verb particularly challenging for beginners. The sound change from "aller" to "vont" must be memorised as there's no logical pattern to follow.
Faire (to do/make)
Faire is one of the most versatile verbs in French, used extensively for weather expressions and describing activities.
Present tense conjugation:
- je fais (I do/make)
- tu fais (you do/make)
- il/elle/on fait (he/she/one does/makes)
- nous faisons (we do/make)
- vous faites (you do/make - formal/plural)
- ils/elles font (they do/make)
Weather expressions
Faire appears in numerous weather-related phrases where English uses "to be":
Weather Expressions with Faire
- Il fait beau. - It is fine/nice weather.
- Il fait du vent. - It is windy.
- Il fait du soleil. - It is sunny.
Note: In French, we say "it makes good weather" rather than "it is good weather" as in English.
Activity expressions
The verb also describes various activities:
Activity Expressions with Faire
- Je fais de la natation. - I do swimming.
- Je fais du vélo. - I do cycling/go cycling.
Pattern: "faire + du/de la + activity" is the standard construction for sports and hobbies.
Key function: Faire is used where English might use different verbs. For weather and activities, French consistently uses "faire" while English varies between "to be," "to do," and "to go."
Pouvoir (to be able to/can)
This modal verb expresses ability, possibility, or permission and is always followed by an infinitive.
Present tense conjugation:
- je peux (I can/am able to)
- tu peux (you can/are able to)
- il/elle/on peut (he/she/one can/is able to)
- nous pouvons (we can/are able to)
- vous pouvez (you can/are able to - formal/plural)
- ils/elles peuvent (they can/are able to)
Modal Verb Usage
Je peux aller au cinéma. - I can go to the cinema.
Structure: pouvoir + infinitive verb (aller)
Vouloir (to want to)
This modal verb expresses desire or intention and is typically followed by an infinitive or a noun.
Present tense conjugation:
- je veux (I want)
- tu veux (you want)
- il/elle/on veut (he/she/one wants)
- nous voulons (we want)
- vous voulez (you want - formal/plural)
- ils/elles veulent (they want)
Expressing Desires
Je veux manger au restaurant. - I want to eat at the restaurant.
Structure: vouloir + infinitive verb (manger)
Devoir (to have to/must)
This modal verb expresses obligation, necessity, or duty and is followed by an infinitive.
Present tense conjugation:
- je dois (I have to/must)
- tu dois (you have to/must)
- il/elle/on doit (he/she/one has to/must)
- nous devons (we have to/must)
- vous devez (you have to/must - formal/plural)
- ils/elles doivent (they have to/must)
Expressing Obligation
Je dois faire mes devoirs. - I must do my homework.
Structure: devoir + infinitive verb (faire)
Savoir (to know how to)
This verb specifically expresses knowing how to do something or having knowledge of facts.
Present tense conjugation:
- je sais (I know/know how to)
- tu sais (you know/know how to)
- il/elle/on sait (he/she/one knows/knows how to)
- nous savons (we know/know how to)
- vous savez (you know/know how to - formal/plural)
- ils/elles savent (they know/know how to)
Expressing Knowledge and Skills
Je sais conduire. - I know how to drive.
Note: Savoir expresses learned skills and factual knowledge, different from "connaître" which means "to be familiar with."
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Understanding these patterns will help you master these irregular verbs more effectively.
Pattern recognition: Notice that several verbs share similar endings in the ils/elles form: vont (aller), font (faire), peuvent (pouvoir), veulent (vouloir), doivent (devoir), savent (savoir). This can help with memorisation.
Pronunciation: The final consonants in forms like "font" and "vont" are pronounced, whilst in "peuvent" and "veulent", the final 't' is silent. This is a common mistake for English speakers who may want to pronounce all final consonants.
Modal verbs: Pouvoir, vouloir, and devoir are modal verbs that always require an infinitive to complete their meaning. You cannot say "Je peux" alone - you must add what you can do: "Je peux aller."
Translation exercise
Practice using these irregular verbs with the following translation exercises.
Translation Practice
French to English:
- Je vais au collège en bus.
- Nous faisons du vélo en été.
English to French: 3. They want to go to France. 4. You must do your homework.
Answers:
- I go to school by bus.
- We go cycling in summer.
- Ils/Elles veulent aller en France.
- Tu dois faire tes devoirs. / Vous devez faire vos devoirs.
Key Points to Remember:
- These six irregular verbs are essential for basic French communication
- Modal verbs (pouvoir, vouloir, devoir) always need an infinitive to follow them
- Faire is used extensively in weather expressions where English uses "to be"
- The ils/elles forms often sound completely different from the infinitive
- Memorising these conjugations through regular practice is crucial for fluency