French · Everyday Verbs
"to drink" in French: boire
boire
To drink in French is boire. Say je bois, tu bois, il/elle boit. In cafés people often say je prends un thé, but boire is the clear verb for drinking.
At a terrace
Je bois toujours de l'eau à table.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce boire
Say it
bwahr
/bwaʁ/
Boire is bwahr. Bois and boit sound like bwah. Buvez (you drink, formal/plural) is byu-VAY. Soft French r in the infinitive.
"to drink" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| boire | to drink Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| je bois / tu bois / il boit | I drink / you drink / he drinks Present singular forms. | Present singular forms. |
| boire un verre | to have a drink Social outing for a drink. | Social outing for a drink. |
| quelque chose à boire | something to drink Offer phrase. | Offer phrase. |
How to use boire in real life
- 1At a terrace
Je bois toujours de l'eau à table.
I always drink water at the table.
Boire de l'eau for drinking water.
- 2Offer to a guest
Tu veux boire quelque chose ?
Do you want to drink something?
Common host question.
- 3Evening plans
On boit un verre après le travail ?
Shall we have a drink after work?
Boire un verre is social.
Mistakes English speakers make with boire
Incorrect: Je boire du café.
Correct: Je bois du café.
Conjugate: je bois, not je boire.
Incorrect: Je bois un médicament.
Correct: Je prends un médicament.
Medicine uses prendre, not boire, even for liquids.
Good to know
Inviting someone boire un verre often means a café or bar stop, not necessarily alcohol. At meals, boire can be water, wine, or both—French tables keep water nearby by habit.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ordering at a juice bar
ChatPal
Tu bois quoi d'habitude ?
What do you usually drink?
You
Je bois souvent un jus d'orange.
I often drink orange juice.
ChatPal
Moi, je bois un smoothie aujourd'hui.
I'm drinking a smoothie today.
You
Bonne idée. Je vais boire la même chose.
Good idea. I'll drink the same thing.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to drink" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to drink" in French
What are the present singular forms of boire?
Je bois, tu bois, il/elle/on boit.
Boire or prendre for café orders?
Both appear. Je prends un café is very common; je bois un café is also clear.
How do you say something to drink?
Quelque chose à boire.
Does boire un verre always mean alcohol?
Often yes in practice, but the phrase can mean a casual drink outing.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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