100 French Verbs Face-Off (Part 1)

[A] to take | This verb literally means "to grasp" and shares roots with the English "prehensile" - think of how monkeys use their prehensile tails. In French culture, "prendre un café" doesn't mean physically grabbing coffee, but rather enjoying the ritual of sitting down for one.

[B] to concern | Derived from Latin "concernere" meaning "to sift together," this verb evolved from medieval legal language where matters were literally sorted and sifted to determine relevance. Modern French speakers often use it in the phrase "en ce qui concerne" (regarding).

[A] to explain | Coming from Latin "explicare" (to unfold), this verb originally described the physical act of unrolling scrolls. French teachers love the expression "expliquer comme à un enfant de 5 ans" - the French equivalent of ELI5.

[B] to call | Medieval French town criers would "appeler" citizens to gather for announcements. The double 'p' triggers a pronunciation quirk - the 'e' becomes more open, like the difference between "pet" and "pay" in English.

[A] to be | The most existential of French verbs, it traces back to three different Latin verbs (esse, stare, and fui), which is why its conjugation seems so chaotic. Sartre built an entire philosophy around "l'être" (being).

[B] to choose | This -ir verb comes from Gothic "kausjan" (to test or try), suggesting our ancestors viewed choice as experimentation. The Paradox of Choice was actually first described by French philosopher Jean Buridan in the 14th century.

[C] to seem | Related to "semblable" (similar), this verb captures the French cultural tendency toward nuance and suggestion rather than direct statement - very diplomatic! It's the verbal equivalent of a Gallic shrug.

[D] to permit | Built on the Latin "mittere" (to send), with "per-" (through), it originally meant "to let pass through." French driving permits are still called "permis," maintaining this sense of passage.

[A] to present | In French etiquette, "se présenter" (introducing oneself) follows strict cultural codes - always state your full name clearly, make eye contact, and in formal settings, wait to be introduced.

[B] to lead | From Latin "minare" (to drive animals), this verb retained its herding origins. The word "promenade" comes from "se promener" - literally leading oneself on a walk.

[C] to have | This verb does double duty in French, forming compound tenses and expressing age ("j'ai 20 ans" - literally "I have 20 years"). It's why French speakers sometimes say "I have hunger" in English.

[D] to continue | The French actually borrowed this back from Latin after previously using "continuier." It's one of the few verbs that sounds nearly identical in French, English, Spanish, and Italian.

[A] to read | Irregular due to its Latin origins "legere," it shares roots with "legion" and "lecture." Medieval monks would "lire à haute voix" (read aloud) since silent reading wasn't common until the 10th century.

[B] to begin | The cedilla under the 'c' (ç) appears before a/o/u to maintain the soft 's' sound. Without it, French speakers would pronounce it like 'k' - a small mark with big phonetic consequences.

[C] to hear | Literally "to stretch toward" (from Latin "intendere"), suggesting active listening. "Entendre" differs from "écouter" (to listen) the way "hear" differs from "listen" in English.

[D] to speak | From Latin "parabolare" (to tell parables), this verb reminds us that speech originally served to share stories and wisdom. "Parlez-vous français?" became globally recognized thanks to pop culture.

[A] to leave | Not to be confused with "partir" (to depart), "laisser" means leaving something behind. "Laissez-faire" economics literally means "let do" - the original hands-off approach.

[B] to decide | From Latin "de-caedere" (to cut off), decision-making was viewed as cutting away alternatives. The French Revolution popularized "décider" in political contexts.

[C] to find | The prefix "re-" doesn't always mean "again" here - it's an intensifier. "Retrouver ses esprits" means finding one's wits, not finding them again.

[D] to receive | An irregular -oir verb that changes its stem to "reç-" before o and u to preserve pronunciation. French hosts pride themselves on how they "reçoivent" - hospitality is an art form.

[A] to raise | This versatile verb can mean to raise, to note down, to take over from someone, or to season food. Context is everything - "relever le défi" means to rise to the challenge.

[B] to recognize | The circumflex on 'î' marks where an 's' used to be (recognoistre in Old French). These accent marks are like archaeological evidence of language evolution.

[B] to stay | False friend alert: doesn't mean "to rest" (which is "se reposer"). Many English speakers make this mistake, asking if they can "rester" when tired.

[D] to resume | Literally "to take again," it's commonly used in conversations to mean "to continue" or "to correct someone." "Je reprends" - a polite way to interrupt and correct.

[A] to bring | Distinguished from "amener" (bring a person) and "emmener" (take a person), "apporter" is for objects. This distinction reveals how French grammar personifies the world.

[B] to enter | Takes "être" as auxiliary in compound tenses because it's a verb of movement. The "entracte" (intermission) literally means "between acts."

[C] to play | Can mean playing games, instruments, or roles. "Jouer avec le feu" (play with fire) exists in both languages, showing universal human wisdom about risk.

[D] to tempt | Shares Latin roots with "temptation." In legal French, "tentative" means an attempt (often criminal), adding a darker shade to this seemingly innocent verb.

[A] to touch | Can be physical or emotional - "ça me touche" means "that touches me" emotionally. French ATMs say "Ne pas toucher" (don't touch) during processing.

[B] to understand | Literally "to take together" (com-prendre), suggesting understanding requires gathering all pieces. It's why the French say "je ne comprends pas" so dramatically - they're saying they can't gather the pieces together!