⚡ Most Common Verbs

⏱ 9 min read

In this lesson you will learn some of the most common English verbs and how to use them in everyday sentences. Each English word or phrase includes a simple meaning plus translations in several languages.

🟢 Essential Common Verbs

🧍 To be
used for identity, feelings, and location
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Ser / Estar
🇫🇷 French: Être
🇩🇪 German: Sein
🇮🇹 Italian: Essere / Stare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ser / Estar
📖 To have
used for possession and some expressions
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Tener
🇫🇷 French: Avoir
🇩🇪 German: Haben
🇮🇹 Italian: Avere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ter
🛠️ To do / make
used for actions and creating things
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Hacer
🇫🇷 French: Faire
🇩🇪 German: Machen / Tun
🇮🇹 Italian: Fare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fazer
🚶 To go
used for movement from one place to another
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Ir
🇫🇷 French: Aller
🇩🇪 German: Gehen
🇮🇹 Italian: Andare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ir
💬 To say / tell
used to speak words or give information
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Decir
🇫🇷 French: Dire
🇩🇪 German: Sagen
🇮🇹 Italian: Dire
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Dizer

🟡 Everyday Verbs

🗣️ To speak
to use language with your voice
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Hablar
🇫🇷 French: Parler
🇩🇪 German: Sprechen
🇮🇹 Italian: Parlare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Falar
🍽️ To eat
to put food in your mouth and swallow it
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Comer
🇫🇷 French: Manger
🇩🇪 German: Essen
🇮🇹 Italian: Mangiare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Comer
🥤 To drink
to take a liquid into your mouth
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Beber
🇫🇷 French: Boire
🇩🇪 German: Trinken
🇮🇹 Italian: Bere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Beber
😴 To sleep
to rest with your eyes closed
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Dormir
🇫🇷 French: Dormir
🇩🇪 German: Schlafen
🇮🇹 Italian: Dormire
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Dormir
📖 To read
to look at words and understand them
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Leer
🇫🇷 French: Lire
🇩🇪 German: Lesen
🇮🇹 Italian: Leggere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ler
✍️ To write
to put words on paper or a screen
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Escribir
🇫🇷 French: Écrire
🇩🇪 German: Schreiben
🇮🇹 Italian: Scrivere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Escrever

🔵 Helpful Verbs

❤️ To like
to enjoy something or someone
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Gustar
🇫🇷 French: Aimer
🇩🇪 German: Mögen
🇮🇹 Italian: Piacere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Gostar
💭 To think
to use your mind or have an opinion
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Pensar
🇫🇷 French: Penser
🇩🇪 German: Denken
🇮🇹 Italian: Pensare
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pensar
🧠 To know (facts / how to)
to have information or a skill
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Saber
🇫🇷 French: Savoir
🇩🇪 German: Wissen
🇮🇹 Italian: Sapere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Saber
👥 To know (people / places)
to be familiar with a person or place
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Conocer
🇫🇷 French: Connaître
🇩🇪 German: Kennen
🇮🇹 Italian: Conoscere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Conhecer
🤝 To understand
to know what something means
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Entender
🇫🇷 French: Comprendre
🇩🇪 German: Verstehen
🇮🇹 Italian: Capire
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Entender
❓ To ask
to say a question or request
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Preguntar
🇫🇷 French: Demander
🇩🇪 German: Fragen
🇮🇹 Italian: Chiedere
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Perguntar

🧠 Useful Grammar

English base form (infinitive)
the basic form of a verb, often after “to”
English verbs usually appear in their base form after “to” (to speak, to eat, to go).

to speak, to eat, to live
To be
one English verb covers identity, state, and location
English uses only one verb to be. It covers both permanent characteristics and temporary states or location (unlike Spanish ser / estar).
Irregular verbs
verbs that do not follow the usual past-tense pattern
Some of the most common English verbs are irregular, including be, have, do, go, say, and make.

💬 Common Verb Phrases

🗣️ I speak a little English.
I can use some English, but not a lot
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Hablo un poco de inglés.
🇫🇷 French: Je parle un peu anglais.
🇩🇪 German: Ich spreche ein bisschen Englisch.
🇮🇹 Italian: Parlo un po' di inglese.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Falo um pouco de inglês.
🍽️ I want to eat something.
I would like some food
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Quiero comer algo.
🇫🇷 French: Je veux manger quelque chose.
🇩🇪 German: Ich möchte etwas essen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Voglio mangiare qualcosa.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Quero comer alguma coisa.
📚 I like to read.
reading is something I enjoy
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Me gusta leer.
🇫🇷 French: J'aime lire.
🇩🇪 German: Ich lese gern.
🇮🇹 Italian: Mi piace leggere.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Gosto de ler.
🤝 I don't understand.
I do not know what this means
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: No entiendo.
🇫🇷 French: Je ne comprends pas.
🇩🇪 German: Ich verstehe nicht.
🇮🇹 Italian: Non capisco.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Não entendo.

❓ Useful Questions

💬 Do you speak English?
asking if someone can use English
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Hablas inglés?
🇫🇷 French: Parlez-vous anglais ?
🇩🇪 German: Sprechen Sie Englisch?
🇮🇹 Italian: Parla inglese?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você fala inglês?
🧠 Do you know the answer?
asking if someone has the information
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Sabes la respuesta?
🇫🇷 French: Savez-vous la réponse ?
🇩🇪 German: Wissen Sie die Antwort?
🇮🇹 Italian: Sa la risposta?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você sabe a resposta?
📍 Where are you?
asking someone's location
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Dónde estás?
🇫🇷 French: Où êtes-vous ?
🇩🇪 German: Wo sind Sie?
🇮🇹 Italian: Dove sei?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Onde você está?
🍽️ What do you want to eat?
asking what food someone would like
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Qué quieres comer?
🇫🇷 French: Que voulez-vous manger ?
🇩🇪 German: Was möchten Sie essen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Cosa vuoi mangiare?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O que você quer comer?

💬 Everyday Conversation

Meeting Someone
asking about language and location
A: Do you speak English?
B: Yes, I speak a little.
A: Where are you?
B: I'm at home.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Hablas inglés?
🇪🇸 B: Sí, hablo un poco.
🇪🇸 A: ¿Dónde estás?
🇪🇸 B: Estoy en casa.

🇫🇷 A: Parlez-vous anglais ?
🇫🇷 B: Oui, je parle un peu.
🇫🇷 A: Où êtes-vous ?
🇫🇷 B: Je suis à la maison.

🇩🇪 A: Sprechen Sie Englisch?
🇩🇪 B: Ja, ich spreche ein bisschen.
🇩🇪 A: Wo sind Sie?
🇩🇪 B: Ich bin zu Hause.

🇮🇹 A: Parla inglese?
🇮🇹 B: Sì, parlo un po'.
🇮🇹 A: Dove sei?
🇮🇹 B: Sono a casa.

🇵🇹 A: Você fala inglês?
🇵🇹 B: Sim, falo um pouco.
🇵🇹 A: Onde você está?
🇵🇹 B: Estou em casa.

📝 Example Sentences

🚶 I go to work every day.
I travel to my job each day
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Voy al trabajo todos los días.
🇫🇷 French: Je vais au travail tous les jours.
🇩🇪 German: Ich gehe jeden Tag zur Arbeit.
🇮🇹 Italian: Vado al lavoro ogni giorno.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Vou ao trabalho todos os dias.
🛠️ I do my homework in the afternoon.
I complete schoolwork after lunch
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Hago mi tarea por la tarde.
🇫🇷 French: Je fais mes devoirs l'après-midi.
🇩🇪 German: Ich mache meine Hausaufgaben am Nachmittag.
🇮🇹 Italian: Faccio i compiti nel pomeriggio.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Faço a minha lição de casa à tarde.
😴 I sleep eight hours.
I rest for eight hours
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Duermo ocho horas.
🇫🇷 French: Je dors huit heures.
🇩🇪 German: Ich schlafe acht Stunden.
🇮🇹 Italian: Dormo otto ore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Durmo oito horas.
💭 I think about my friends.
my friends are on my mind
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Pienso en mis amigos.
🇫🇷 French: Je pense à mes amis.
🇩🇪 German: Ich denke an meine Freunde.
🇮🇹 Italian: Penso ai miei amici.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Penso nos meus amigos.
✍️ She writes an email.
she is composing an email message
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Ella escribe un correo electrónico.
🇫🇷 French: Elle écrit un e-mail.
🇩🇪 German: Sie schreibt eine E-Mail.
🇮🇹 Italian: Lei scrive un'e-mail.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Ela escreve um e-mail.
🧠 I know that city.
I am familiar with that city
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Conozco esa ciudad.
🇫🇷 French: Je connais cette ville.
🇩🇪 German: Ich kenne diese Stadt.
🇮🇹 Italian: Conosco quella città.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Conheço aquela cidade.
You’re right. The options were random sentences. This version uses matching verb choices.

🏆 Final Practice

English in the Real World:

Read the situation. Choose the verb that fits.
Question 1 of 8
✅ Correct: 0
❓ Questions: 0
🎯 Accuracy: 0%