218 Phrasal Verbs in French

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Last Updated: June 6, 2023

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This is the second part about Phrasal Verbs. The first one can be found here.  Just a little reminder that we do not use these little things (over/in) to change the meaning of a verb. But we have a similar concept with “les verbes pronominaux” (Pronominal Verbs) which you can check it out in this article

The list below is not exhaustive, but there are already more than 200 entries. If you want me to add more, just ask me in the comment section.

You can also download phrasal verbs list in a printer-friendly PDF format. You only have to subscribe to the weekly newsletter. If you are already subscribed, simply go back to the link you received before, the file is already there.

Phrasal Verbs

Now let's go through the phrasal verbs list we've made especially for you!

bend overse pencher
blow outsouffler
break inentrer par effraction
breathe ininspirer
breathe outexpirer
bring backrapporter / ramener
bump intorentrer dans / renconter par hasard
burst intoéclater / fondre (en larmes)
call backrappeler
call offannuler
call onrendre visite à
call roundpasser
care aboutse soucier de
care fors’occuper de / aimer
carry oncontinuer
chase aftercourir après
chase awaychasser
check inse présenter à l’enregistrement / la réception
check outrégler sa note / regarder
check overvérifier / examiner
clear offdégager / filer
clear outvider
climb overpasser par-dessus
cloud overse couvrir / s’assombrir
come aroundvenir / reprendre connaissance / se raviser (changer d'avis)
come backrevenir
come inentrer
come offse détacher
come outsortir / partir
come overvenir
come toreprendre connaissance
cross offrayer
cross outbarrer
cross overtraverser
cry outpousser un cri
cut offcouper
cut outdécouper
deal withs’occuper de / traiter de
do away withse débarasser / supprimer
do withoutse passer de
drop bypasser
drop offdéposer / laisser
face up tofaire face à
fall aparts’effondrer
fall offtomber
fall outtomber / se brouiller
fall overtomber / trébucher sur
fight backse défendre
figure outcomprendre / calculer
fill inremplir / boucher
fill outremplir
fill upremplir
find outse renseigner / découvrir
finish offterminer / finir
flick offéteindre
flick onallumer
flip throughfeuilleter
fly aways’envoler
get aways’échapper / partir / s’en aller
get backrentrer / récuperer / reculer
get inentrer / monter dans
get offdescendre (de)
get onmonter dans / s’entendre
get outsortir / descendre
give incéder
give outdistribuer
go awaypartir
go backretourner / rentrer
go inentrer
go offexploser / sonner / partir / tourner
go oncontinuer / se passer
go outsortir / s’éteindre
go undercouler
go withoutse passer de
hand inrendre
hand outdistribuer
hand overremettre / céder
hang onattendre
hang outfréquenter / traîner
head forse diriger vers
hear fromavoir des nouvelles de
hear ofentendre parler de
help outvenir en aide
hold onattendre / s’accrocher
hold outtendre
join inparticiper (à)
jump insauter dedans / plonger
keep outne pas entrer dans
knock outassommer / éliminer
knock overrenverser
know aboutêtre au courant de / s’y connaître en
laugh atse moquer de
lean overse pencher
leave asidelaisser de côté
leave outoublier
let infaire entrer / laisser entrer
let offne pas punir / faire partir, tirer
lift offdécoller
lock inenfermer
lock outenfermer dehors
log in/onse connecter
look afters’occuper de
look atregarder
look forchercher
look forward toattendre avec impatience
look outfaire attention
look out forchercher / s’occuper de
look roundse retourner / regarder / visiter
make outdéchiffrer / comprendre / prétendre
mess aroundfaire l’imbécile / s’amuser / toucher à
miss outomettre / sauter
miss out onlaisser passer / louper
mouth ofse vanter / parler à tort et à travers
move forwardavancer
move inemménager
move offse mettre en route
move outdéménager
move overse pousser
note downnoter
part withse séparer de
pass forse faire passer pour
pass ontransmettre
pass outs’évanouir / distribuer
pay backrembourser
pay forpayer
peel offdétacher
phone backrappeler
pick ons’en prendre à / harceler
plug inbrancher
point outmontrer / faire remarquer
pop inpasser
pull aheadprendre la tête
pull ins’arrêter
pull outarracher / retirer
pull overse ranger / se garer sur la côté
pull throughs’en sortir
pull togetherfaire un effort
push inresquiller
put awayranger
put backremettre
put offremettre à plus tard / dissuader / dégoûter / déranger / éteindre
put outéteindre / tendre / sortir / déranger
put togethermonter
reach outtendre la main
read outlire à haute voix
rely oncompter sur
return fromrentrer de
return torevenir / retourner à
ring backrappeler
rub outeffacer
rule outexclure
run aways’enfuir
run outs’épuiser
run overrenverser / écraser
scare awayfaire fuir / effrayer
search forchercher
see offdire au revoir à
see tos’occuper de
send backrenvoyer
send forappeler / faire venir
send offexpulser
set offpartir / se mettre en route / faire partir / faire exploser / déclencher
set outpartir / se mettre en route
show offfrimer
show uparriver
shut upse taire
sit downs’asseoir
slave awaytrimer
sleep infaire la grasse matinée
sleep overpasser la nuit chez quelqu’un
slip offfiler / s’éclipser
sort outranger / régler / s’occuper de
speak outparler en faveur / défendre
spin aroundtourner / se retourner
spread outse disperser
stand forvouloir dire / tolérer
stand outressortir
start off/outpartir
stay awayne pas s’approcher
stay inrester chez soi
stay outne pas rentrer
step forwardavancer
stick outdépasser / tirer
stretch outtendre / allonger / s’allonger
swell upenfler / gonfler
switch offéteindre / arrêter
switch onallumer / mettre en marche
take aftertenir de
take apartdémonter
take asideprendre à part
take awayenlever / emporter / emmener
take backrapporter
take offdécoller / enlever
take onembaucher / prendre
take outsortir / retirer
take overremplacer / prendre la relève
talk throughexpliquer / prévenir
tear outarracher
tell offgronder
think aboutpenser à / penser de / réfléchir à
think ofpenser de
throw awayjeter
throw outjeter / mettre à la porte
tip offprévenir / avertir
tip overrenverser / se renverser
toss away/outjeter
try on/outessayer
turn aroundse retourner / faire demi-tour / tourner (dans l’autre sens)
turn backfaire demi-tour
turn intochanger en / transformer en / se transformer en
turn offéteindre
turn onallumer
turn overretourner / se retourner
wait forattendre
walk outpartir
watch outfaire attention
wear outuser / s’user / épuiser
weigh downalourdir
wipe outeffacer/anéantir/détruire
work outtrouver / résoudre / calculer / comprendre / se passer / faire de l’exercice
write backrépondre

You can also learn French verb tenses with the French Verb Conjugation Course.

Let us know what you think about this list in the comments. 

P.S: You would be doing me a HUGE FAVOR  by sharing it via Twitter or Facebook and to anyone you think would need this phrasal verbs list!

Here are some FAQs about Phrasal Verbs

How many phrasal verbs are in French?

Technically, the concept of phrasal verbs does not really exist in the French language. Phrasal verb = verbe à particule. However, because phrasal verbs in the English language cannot be literally translated word by word to French, this article helps us find the equivalent of the English phrasal verb in French.

What are the most useful phrasal verbs in French?

Here are some of the most useful French phrasal verbs that don’t translate literally:

  • Avoir besoin de → to need something (literally “to have need of”)
  • Avoir faim/soif → to be hungry/thirsty (literally “to have hunger/thirst”)
  • Finir par → to end up doing (literally “to finish by”)
  • Être au courant de → to know about (literally “to be aware or conversant of”)

Here are a few useful English phrasal verbs translated in French:

  • Help out → venir en aide
  • Look after → s’occuper de
  • Think about → penser à / penser de / réfléchir à 

Look through our list and get familiar with the phrasal verbs you use most often in daily conversation!

About the author 

Frederic Bibard is the founder of Talk in French, a company that helps french learners to practice and improve their french. Macaron addict. Jacques Audiard fan. You can contact him on Instagram

  • What about return to and return from.

    Also in French I never know when to use revenir and retourner. Is there a simple rule?

    • Revenir = To come back , To return here

      Retourner (To go back, TO return for a limited time, to run by a place)
      but only for a limited time. You might forget something there, or just return there for a certain time but leaving there again.

      I just added the two phrasal verbs you mention.

  • Useful list. Just spotted a small typo – it should be mouth off not mouth of. You could also add a 3rd translation of come around as in eg: give her time and she will come around (to your point of view).

  • I need your “Study Guide to Learning French”. It must be floating around somewhere. I am subscribed to your newsletter and I have the grammar booklet, but I do not have the study guide and I need it to put some cohevsiveness in my study. Thank you.

    Edward Shackelford

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