Être is one of the most versatile verbs in French. It doesn’t just mean “to be” – it slips into dozens of everyday expressions where English throws a completely different verb at you. If you’ve ever stumbled over je suis faim (I’m hunger) instead of j’ai faim, you already know that être can be a bit of a trickster. This list rounds up about 60 être expressions that you’ll actually use in real conversations.
Every expression pairs a clear meaning with a real-life example so you can see exactly how it slots into a French sentence – no guesswork, just practical vocabulary that helps you sound more like yourself.
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Quick Quiz
You’ve studied the list – now see what stuck. The quiz below is a low-pressure way to check your grasp of these être expressions.
Browse the Full List
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1er | 1st |
| 2e | 2nd |
| 3e | 3rd |
| autobus | bus |
| bélier | ram |
| bocal | jar |
| brebis | ewe |
| cavale | run |
| chêne | oak |
| cire | wax |
| cirer | wax |
| coudre | sew |
| coupure | cut |
| craque | fib |
| dé | dee |
| DEB | BED |
| elfe | elf |
| espionner | spy |
| FAR | LBB |
| fi | fie |
| foin | hay |
| fourrure | fur |
| frire | fry |
| frotter | rub |
| graisse | fat |
