CEFR A2 · Elementary independence
A2 French verbs: 50 essentials
Move beyond the present to recount completed events, make plans, and manage routine social exchanges.
What to do with verbs at A2
The list is cumulative: these 50 verbs include the foundations from every earlier level. At A2, aim to produce the common forms in context, not merely recognize each infinitive.
- Describe what you did yesterday or on a recent trip.
- Make plans and predictions using future forms.
- Use common movement and pronominal verbs in everyday contexts.
Tense focus
passé composé · futur simple · présent indicatif · futur proche. Earlier-level tenses remain active and should become progressively more automatic.
A2 worked examples
Hier, nous avons pris le train et nous sommes arrivés à midi.
Yesterday, we took the train and arrived at noon.
Cet été, je visiterai Lyon avec ma famille.
This summer, I will visit Lyon with my family.
Preparing for certification rather than general French? See the separate DELF A2 exam guide and strict-accent drill.
Prefer paper practice? Create a printable A2 French conjugation worksheet with a separate answer key.
New verbs from the previous level
This stage adds 30 verbs to the previous cumulative list. Here are the first 12 additions by frequency.
Common questions
Is there an official A2 French verb list?
No. CEFR defines what learners can do at each level, not a mandatory vocabulary list. This is a practical Bonjour Verbs sequence combining communicative usefulness, corpus frequency, and the tense control expected around A2.
How many French verbs should I know at A2?
Use 50 verbs as a practical working target, not a certification rule. Reliable production matters more than recognizing a much longer list.
Which French tenses should I know at A2?
The main A2 verb focus in this sequence is: passé composé, futur simple, présent indicatif, futur proche. Earlier-level tenses remain part of the cumulative skill set.