Grammar: Compounds & Homologues
Many irregular French verbs are used in compound form to make new verbs with new meanings. The compound versions follow the same conjugation method as the original verb.
Homologues are verbs that resemble the original verb in spelling and are conjugated in the same basic way.
| venir | to come |
| tenir | to hold, keep |
| advenir | to happen |
| circonvenir | to circumvent, get around |
| contrevenir | to contravene |
| convenir | to suit |
| devenir | to become |
| intervenir | to intervene, take place |
| parvenir | to reach, to manage to |
| prévenir | to prevent, tell, call, warn, anticipate |
| provenir | to come from, stem from |
| redevenir | to become … again |
| revenir | to come back |
| souvenir | to remember |
| subvenir | to meet, provide, subsidise |
| survenir | to occur, arise |
| abstenir | to abstain |
| appartenir | to belong |
| contenir | to contain |
| détenir | to detain |
| entretenir | to maintain, support |
| maintenir | to maintain |
| obtenir | to obtain |
| retenir | to retain |
| soutenir | to support |
| prendre | to take |
| apprendre | to learn |
| comprendre | to understand |
| (se) déprendre | to free oneself from |
| désapprendre | to forget, unlearn |
| entreprendre | to start, undertake, embark on |
| s’éprendre de | to become enamoured of |
| se méprendre | to be mistaken about |
| rapprendre | to learn again |
| réapprendre | to learn again |
| reprendre | to take back, to have some more (food) |
| surprendre | to surprise |
| mettre | to put |
| admettre | to admit, accept |
| compromettre | to compromise, endanger, jeopardise |
| commettre | to commit, carry out, appoint |
| démettre | to dismiss, to dislocate |
| émettre | to emit, express, put forward, to issue, to send out |
| omettre | to omit, leave out |
| permettre | to permit, allow |
| promettre | to promise, show promise |
| remettre | to put back, hand over, put straight again |
| retransmettre | to retransmit, broadcast, relay |
| soumettre | to submit |
| transmettre | to transmit |
| dire | to say, tell |
| contredire | to contradict |
| se dédire | to retract one’s statement, to back out of |
| interdire | to forbid, prohibit, ban |
| maudire | to curse |
| médire | to speak ill of, to malign |
| prédire | to predict |
| redire | to repeat |
| partir | to leave, depart |
| sortir | to go out, exit |
| sentir | to smell, feel |
| dormir | to sleep |
| mentir | to lie |
| servir | to serve |
| vêtir | to dress |
| revêtir | to take on, assume, adorn |
| desservir | to serve, lead to, do a disservice, clear |
| voir | to see |
| entrevoir | to glimpse, make out, foresee |
| prévoir | to predict, plan, provide for, anticipate |
| pourvoir | to fill, endow, provide for |
| revoir | to see again, review, correct, revise |
| ouvrir | to open |
| couvrir | to cover |
| découvrir | to discover |
| entrouvrir | to open a little |
| recouvrir | to cover up, hide, conceal |
| redécouvrir | to rediscover |
| rouvrir | to reopen |
| offrir | to offer, give, buy |
| souffrir | to suffer, put up with |
| accueillir | to welcome |
| assaillir | to assail, attack |
| cueillir | to gather, pick |
| défaillir | to faint, fail |
| recueillir | to collect, obtain, gather |
| saillir | to cover, serve, jut out |
| courir | to run |
| accourir | to run up |
| concourir | to compete |
| discourir | to hold forth |
| encourir | to incur |
| parcourir | to travel all over, cover |
| recourir | to use, have recourse to, resort to, run again |
| secourir | to help, rescue, give first aid to |
| recevoir | to receive |
| apercevoir | to catch sight of, notice |
| concevoir | to design, conceive, understand, form, see |
| décevoir | to disappoint |
| entrapercevoir | to catch a glimpse of |
| percevoir | to collect, receive, perceive, appreciate |
| vivre | to live |
| revivre | to relive, come alive again |
| survivre | to survive |
| écrire | to write |
| circonscrire | to confine or limit |
| décrire | to describe, depict, or narrate in detail |
| inscrire | to enroll, register, or write something in a record or list |
| prescrire | to prescribe |
| proscrire | to prohibit or ban |
| récrire | to rewrite or transcribe |
| souscrire | to subscribe or endorse |
| transcrire | to transcribe or copy in writing |
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