French · Everyday Verbs
"to try" in French: essayer
essayer
To try in French is essayer. J'essaie means I try / I'm trying. For clothes, essaie ça means try that on. The present often doubles the s: j'essaie, tu essaies.
Fitting room
Essaie cette veste, elle te va bien.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce essayer
Say it
eh-seh-YAY
/e.sɛ.je/
Essayer: eh-seh-YAY. J'essaie: zheh-seh. Soft s sounds; ay ends like English yay.
"to try" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| essayer | to try Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| j'essaie / tu essaies | I try / you try Present with ss. | Present with ss. |
| essayer de + infinitive | to try to… Effort: j'essaie de comprendre. | Effort: j'essaie de comprendre. |
| essaie ça | try this / try that on Clothes and food. | Clothes and food. |
How to use essayer in real life
- 1Fitting room
Essaie cette veste, elle te va bien.
Try this jacket on — it suits you.
Essaie for try-on.
- 2Homework struggle
J'essaie de finir avant minuit.
I'm trying to finish before midnight.
J'essaie de + verb.
- 3New recipe
On essaye un plat thaï ce soir ?
Shall we try a Thai dish tonight?
On essaye for a group try.
Mistakes English speakers make with essayer
Incorrect: Je essaye demain.
Correct: J'essaie demain. / J'essaye demain.
Elide: j'essaie (or j'essaye). Present often uses essaie.
Incorrect: J'ai tryé.
Correct: J'ai essayé.
Past participle is essayé.
Good to know
In shops, on vous laisse essayer is normal: try clothes freely. Essayer de can sound soft and polite when you are not sure you will succeed.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a dessert
ChatPal
Tu veux essayer la tarte ou la mousse ?
Do you want to try the tart or the mousse?
You
J'essaie la mousse. Tu goûtes après ?
I'll try the mousse. Will you taste after?
ChatPal
Oui. Si c'est bon, j'essaie aussi.
Yes. If it's good, I'll try too.
You
Parfait, on partage.
Perfect, we'll share.
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 try" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to try" in French
How do you say to try in French?
Essayer.
How do you say I'm trying?
J'essaie (or j'essaye).
How do you say try this on?
Essaie ça. / Essaie-le.
Essaie or essaye?
Both exist; essaie is very common in the present.
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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