Higher vocabulary: verbs

Verbs from the Higher part of the vocabulary list. They help you understand the hardest reading and listening texts and make your writing more precise.

Practise this lesson free (7 questions)

Doing and making

Emprunter = to borrow. Prêter = to lend. Do not mix them up.
FrenchEnglish
accompagnerto go with, to accompany
agirto act
apprécierto appreciate
attirerto attract
éviterto avoid
emprunterto borrow
prêterto lend
apporterto bring
construireto build
détruireto destroy
créerto create
développerto develop
disparaîtreto disappear
encouragerto encourage
expliquerto explain
exprimerto express

Deciding and affecting

Empêcher de + infinitive = to stop someone doing something.
FrenchEnglish
obtenirto obtain, to get
permettreto allow
empêcherto prevent
promettreto promise
proposerto suggest
refuserto refuse
remplacerto replace
représenterto represent
résoudreto solve
risquerto risk
semblerto seem
souffrirto suffer
soutenirto support
surveillerto keep an eye on
voterto vote

Reflexive verbs and feelings

Décevoir = to disappoint (not to deceive): J'ai été déçu = I was disappointed.
FrenchEnglish
s'excuserto apologise
se plaindreto complain
se concentrerto concentrate
s'ennuyerto be bored
s'occuper deto look after
se souvenir deto remember
s'asseoirto sit down
se comporterto behave
ressembler àto look like
profiter deto make the most of
réfléchirto think, to reflect
remercierto thank
souhaiterto wish
décevoirto disappoint
Worked example

Translate: My parents allow me to borrow their car, but I must avoid the motorway.

  1. allow me to = me permettent de
  2. borrow = emprunter
  3. avoid = éviter; I must = je dois

Answer: Mes parents me permettent d'emprunter leur voiture, mais je dois éviter l'autoroute.

Key idea

Accompagner, apprécier, attirer, éviter, emprunter / prêter, construire / détruire, créer, disparaître, expliquer. Obtenir, permettre, empêcher, promettre, proposer, refuser, résoudre, sembler, soutenir. S'excuser, se plaindre, s'ennuyer, s'occuper de, se souvenir de, profiter de, remercier, décevoir.

Quick check

Try two quick questions

See if it has sunk in. Answers are marked straight away.

Extra practice

2 more questions

Try each one, then tap to check.

  1. What does créer mean?

    1. to avoid
    2. to bring
    3. to create
    4. to encourage
    Show the answer

    Answer: to create

    Créer = to create.

  2. Which is the French for "to disappear"?

    1. exprimer
    2. détruire
    3. apprécier
    4. disparaître
    Show the answer

    Answer: disparaître

    To disappear = disparaître.

Check you have got it

Answer 7 quick questions with instant marking. If you get one wrong, GCSE-ready shows you why and gives you another go. It is free, and you do not need an account.

Practise this lesson free (7 questions)All GCSE and International GCSE French lessons

Video for this lesson coming soon. Subscribe on YouTube

Sources and references

Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.

Related lessons