French verbs — C

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V Z

cabrer zoom
cacher to hide
cacheter seal
cadeauter to give a present (to) (African French)
cadenasser padlock
cadencer to cadence
cadrer to fit (go well together)
calamistrer to curl (hair) with irons (dated)
calciner sear
calculer to calculate (all meanings)
caler to wedge (open) (a door)
calfater caulk
calmer to calm
cambrer arch
camoufler to camouflage (hide, disguise)
camper to camp
cantonner to station; billet (troops)
capituler to surrender
capter to capture, to catch, to pick up
capturer to capture
caracoler to caracole
caractériser qualify
carburer to carburet
caresser to stroke; to caress (to move the hand over the surface of)
carreler to tile
carrer to square (a number)
cartographier map
cartonner to cover with cardboard;
caser to fit, to put in a box
casquer to fall into a trap
casser to break
cataloguer to catalogue
causer to cause
caver to dig; to mine
céder to yield
ceinturer to belt; belt up; girt; put a belt (or something similar) around
célébrer to celebrate
celer secrete
censurer to formally rebuke
centraliser centralize
centrer true
cercler circle
cerner to surround
certifier to certify (to attest as to)
cesser to cease
chambouler to shatter; to shake
chambrer to bring wine to room temperature
chanceler stagger
changer to change
chanter to sing
chantonner to sing or hum (to oneself)
chaparder pilfer
chapeauter head
charger to load
charrier to carry, carry along
chasser to hunt
châtier to chastise, punish
chauffer to heat
chausser shoe
chavirer to capsize
chercher to look for
chérer to exaggerate, to lay it on thick (dated slang)
chérir to cherish
chevaucher to straddle, be astride
chiffrer encrypt
chiner to dye and interweave fabrics into
chiper to pinch, steal
choisir to choose
chômer to be idle
choquer to hit, to collide
chouchouter pamper
choyer baby
chronométrer to time, to keep time
chuchoter to whisper
chuter to fall, to drop
cibler to target
cicatriser to heal, to scar
circonscrire circumscribe
circonstancier to present the circumstances of an affair
circuler to circulate
cirer to wax (apply wax to something)
ciseler chisel
citer to cite
civiliser civilise
clamer to proclaim
claquer to clack (make a sharp sound)
clarifier to clarify
classer to classify
cligner to squint
clignoter to blink, to flash
climatiser air-condition
cliquer to click
cliver cleave
clocher to be amiss (quelque chose cloche: something's not right)
cloisonner to partition, compartmentalize
clore to close, to bring to an end
clouer to nail (to attach using a nail)
coaguler clot
cocher to tick, to check off (a box)
coder encrypt
cogner to whack
cohabiter to cohabit, to live together
coiffer to cover the head
coincer to wedge
coïncider coincide
collaborer to collaborate
collecter to collect, to gather
collectionner to collect (to accumulate items)
coller to stick
coloniser to colonise
colorer color
combattre to fight
combiner to combine (bring (two or more things or activities) together)
combler to fulfil, satisfy
commander to order
commémorer to commemorate
commencer to begin
commenter to comment
commercer trade
commercialiser market
commettre to commit
communier to receive communion
communiquer to communicate
comparaître to appear before a judge or government official
comparer to compare
compenser to compensate for
compléter to complete
complimenter to compliment
compliquer to complicate
comploter to plot, especially something illegal or immoral
comporter to include
composer to compose
composter to stamp or punch (a ticket) to validate it before boarding a train or a bus
comprendre to understand
compromettre to compromise, jeopardise
compter to count
concéder fold
concentrer to concentrate
concerner to concern (be concerned with, be associated with)
concerter to concert; plan
concevoir to conceive:
concilier to reconcile
conclure to conclude
concocter to concoct
concorder agree
concourir to compete, to contend
concrétiser to solidify, to make
concurrencer to compete with, be in competition with
condamner to condemn
condenser condense
conditionner to package
conduire to drive
confectionner to make, create
conférer bestow
confesser to acknowledge
confier to confide
configurer configure
confiner confine
confirmer to confirm
confisquer to confiscate
confondre to confuse, to confound
conformer to conform; comply
conforter to comfort, console (more commonly réconforter)
confronter to confront
congeler to freeze (food)
conjoindre conjoin
conjuguer conjugate
connaître to know (people, places)
connecter to connect
connoter connote
conquérir to conquer
consacrer to dedicate
conseiller to advise, to recommend
consentir to consent
conserver to keep
considérer to consider
consigner to confine to quarters
consister to consist (of/in)
consoler to comfort
consommer to consume; to ingest
constater to note, notice
constituer to constitute
construire to build
consulter to consult
contacter to contact
contaminer to contaminate
contempler to contemplate
contenir to contain
contenter to content
conter to recount (tell a story)
contester to contest; to challenge; to dispute
continuer to continue
contourner to circumvent
contracter to engage via a formal or informal contract
contraindre to constrain
contrarier to thwart
contraster contrast
contrebalancer offset
contrecarrer to thwart; to stymie
contredire to contradict
contreficher (se contreficher de) to not care at all about (informal)
contrer to block, to counter, to counteract
contrevenir to contravene
contribuer to contribute
contrôler to check or examine
controverser controvert
convaincre to convince
convenir to admit; to agree
converger converge
converser to converse
convertir to convert (change one thing into another)
convier summon
convoiter to covet, to desire
convoquer to convene, convoke
convoyer convoy
coopérer to cooperate
coordonner to coordinate, to organise thoroughly
copier to copy
correspondre to correspond
corriger to correct
corroborer to corroborate
corrompre to corrupt, impair
cosigner cosign
costumer to wear a particular costume
coter rate
cotiser to contribute, subscribe (to)
côtoyer to coast
coucher to lay
coudre to sew
couler to sink
coulisser to slide
couper to cut
coupler bind
courber to bend (cause to become bent)
courir to run
couronner to crown
courroucer to enrage; to infuriate
court-circuiter to short circuit
courtiser to court, to woo
coûter to cost
couver to brood (an egg)
couvrir to cover up
cracher spit
craindre to fear
cramponner to attach with, or drive a spike or hook into
craqueler to crack
craquer to split
cravater to put on a tie
créer to create
créoliser creolize
crépiter crackle
creuser to dig
crever to pop
criailler to whine
cribler riddle
crier to cry out
crisser to screech, to squeak
cristalliser crystallize
critiquer to criticise
croire to believe
croiser to cross
croître to grow
croquer to crunch
crotter to dirty, to muddy
crouler to collapse
cuber to cube (a number) (raise to the power of 3)
cueillir to gather, pick
cuire to cook
cuisiner to cook
cuiter to get smashed, to get wasted (very drunk)
cuivrer copper
culminer culminate
culpabiliser to feel guilty
cultiver to cultivate
cumuler moonlight
curer to clean by scrubbing, scraping and removing