French · Everyday Verbs
"to teach" in French: enseigner
enseigner
Note: also: apprendre à
To teach in French is enseigner : j'enseigne, tu enseignes, elle enseigne. Apprendre à can mean to teach someone to do something, but the headword verb here is enseigner.
Job talk
Elle enseigne l'histoire au lycée.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce enseigner
Say it
ahn-seh-NYAY
/ɑ̃.sɛ.ɲe/
Ahn-seh-NYAY. Soft gn like ny. J'enseigne: zhahn-SEHNY.
"to teach" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| enseigner | to teach Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| j'enseigne | I teach Present. | Present. |
| enseigner le français | to teach French Subject. | Subject. |
| enseigner à quelqu'un | to teach someone With à. | With à. |
How to use enseigner in real life
- 1Job talk
Elle enseigne l'histoire au lycée.
She teaches history at the high school.
Enseigne.
- 2Volunteer class
J'enseigne le français le mercredi soir.
I teach French on Wednesday evenings.
J'enseigne.
- 3Career plan
Il veut enseigner à l'université.
He wants to teach at university.
Infinitive enseigner.
Mistakes English speakers make with enseigner
Incorrect: J'apprends le français aux élèves. (meaning teach)
Correct: J'enseigne le français aux élèves. / Je leur apprends le français.
For the verb enseigner, use enseigner (or apprendre something to someone carefully). Don't rely on apprendre alone if you mean enseigner.
Incorrect: J'enseigne aux français.
Correct: J'enseigne le français. / J'enseigne aux élèves.
Enseigner takes the subject taught; people often need à + learners.
Good to know
French distinguishes professeur, enseignant, and maître/maîtresse by school level. Enseigner stays the clean verb for the act of teaching.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Talking about tutoring work
ChatPal
Tu enseignes encore le piano ?
Do you still teach piano?
You
Oui, j'enseigne deux soirs par semaine.
Yes, I teach two evenings a week.
ChatPal
Cool. Moi j'enseigne les maths en ligne.
Cool. I teach math online.
You
On devrait comparer nos astuces.
We should compare tips.
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 teach" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to teach" in French
Enseigner vs apprendre?
Enseigner is to teach. Apprendre is to learn, or to teach something to someone in some patterns.
How do you conjugate enseigner in the present?
J'enseigne, tu enseignes, il/elle enseigne, nous enseignons, vous enseignez, ils/elles enseignent.
How do I say teach French?
Enseigner le français.
How do you pronounce enseigner?
Ahn-seh-NYAY.
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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