Collocations in French: which verb goes with which noun
Here a sentence can be grammatically right and still wrong. It breaks no rule — nobody says it, that is all. Which verb goes with which noun is not explained by any rule. It is a habit of the language, and habits are learnt in pairs.
A handful of verbs carry almost all of it. Where the obvious choice is a different verb, it is in the third column — those are the places where it goes wrong.
faire
Something gets done or made: a walk, the bed, the shopping — and the weather, which in English simply «is».
| French | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| faire une promenade | go for a walk | tempting: prendre |
| faire les courses | do the shopping | |
| faire la cuisine | do the cooking, cook | |
| faire la vaisselle | do the washing-up | |
| faire le lit | make the bed | |
| faire attention | pay attention, be careful | tempting: payer |
| faire la queue | queue | |
| faire un voyage | go on a journey | |
| faire du sport | do sport | |
| faire beau | be fine (weather) | tempting: être |
| faire froid | be cold (weather) | tempting: être |
| faire une erreur | make a mistake | |
| faire des progrès | make progress | |
| faire la connaissance | meet (for the first time) | |
| faire semblant | pretend | tempting: prétendre |
| faire confiance | trust |
Nous faisons une promenade après le dîner.We go for a walk after dinner.
Je fais les courses le samedi.I do the shopping on Saturdays.
C’est lui qui fait la cuisine.He’s the one who does the cooking.
avoir
Where English says «be»: hungry, cold, afraid, right, twenty years old.
| French | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| avoir faim | be hungry | tempting: être |
| avoir soif | be thirsty | tempting: être |
| avoir froid | be cold, feel cold (of a person) | tempting: être |
| avoir peur | be afraid | tempting: être |
| avoir raison | be right | tempting: être |
| avoir tort | be wrong | tempting: être |
| avoir sommeil | be sleepy | tempting: être |
| avoir vingt ans | be twenty (years old) | tempting: être |
| avoir besoin de | need | |
| avoir envie de | feel like, fancy | |
| avoir l’air | look, seem | tempting: regarder |
| avoir lieu | take place | tempting: prendre |
| avoir mal à la tête | have a headache | |
| avoir de la chance | be lucky |
Les enfants ont faim.The children are hungry.
J’ai soif après cette marche.I’m thirsty after that walk.
Elle a froid sans manteau.She’s cold without a coat.
prendre
What gets taken — including a coffee and a shower, which English «has», and a decision, which English «makes».
| French | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| prendre le train | take the train | |
| prendre un café | have a coffee | tempting: avoir |
| prendre une décision | make a decision | tempting: faire |
| prendre un rendez-vous | make an appointment | tempting: faire |
| prendre des notes | take notes | |
| prendre une douche | have a shower | tempting: avoir |
| prendre du poids | put on weight | tempting: gagner |
| prendre soin de | look after, take care of | |
| prendre la parole | take the floor, speak up | |
| prendre son temps | take one’s time |
Je prends le train de sept heures.I take the seven o’clock train.
On prend un café ensemble?Shall we have a coffee together?
Il faut prendre une décision aujourd’hui.A decision has to be made today.
donner
What gets given, as in English — plus a window that «looks» onto the street.
| French | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| donner un coup de main | give a hand | |
| donner rendez-vous | arrange to meet | |
| donner une réponse | give an answer | |
| donner un conseil | give a piece of advice | |
| donner l’impression | give the impression | |
| donner sur la rue | look onto the street (of a window) | tempting: regarder |
| donner raison | side with, say someone is right | |
| donner faim | make someone hungry | tempting: rendre |
Tu peux me donner un coup de main?Can you give me a hand?
On s’est donné rendez-vous à la gare.We arranged to meet at the station.
Il n’a jamais donné de réponse.He never gave an answer.
mettre
Put, lay and put on, all one verb — and the time a journey «takes».
| French | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| mettre la table | lay the table | |
| mettre un manteau | put on a coat | |
| mettre du temps | take (time) | tempting: prendre |
| mettre de côté | put aside, save | tempting: sauver |
| mettre au point | develop, fine-tune | |
| mettre en marche | start, switch on | |
| mettre fin à | put an end to | |
| mettre en cause | call into question |
Tu mets la table, s’il te plaît?Could you lay the table, please?
Mets un manteau, il fait froid.Put a coat on, it’s cold.
J’ai mis deux heures pour venir.It took me two hours to get here.