How To Say Take In French

Learning a new language can be fun, especially when you start with common verbs like “take.” In French, the verb “take” can be used in many ways, and it has different translations based on the context. This article will guide you through the different ways to say “take” in French, helping you to sound more natural when speaking.

Whether you’re ordering food, traveling, or just talking to a friend, knowing how to use “take” in different situations will improve your French skills. By understanding the nuances of this verb, you’ll feel more confident expressing yourself. Let’s dive into the different ways to say “take” in French and how to use them in sentences!

Ways to Say “Take” in French

In French, the verb “take” can be translated in different ways depending on the context. Below are several common ways to say “take” and how they can be used in sentences.

1. Prendre

Pronunciation: “Prahndr”
Meaning: This is the most common translation of “take,” used for taking something, such as an object or a form of transportation.
In a Sentence:

Je prends mon livre. (I take my book.)
Elle prend le bus tous les matins. (She takes the bus every morning.)

2. Emporter

Pronunciation: “Ahmpor-tey”
Meaning: This verb is used when you take something away with you, typically from a location.
In a Sentence:

Il a emporté son déjeuner. (He took his lunch.)
Nous emportons des souvenirs de nos vacances. (We take souvenirs from our vacations.)

3. Apporter

Pronunciation: “Ah-por-tey”
Meaning: “Apporter” means to bring something to a place or person, often used when you are carrying something to someone.
In a Sentence:

Peux-tu apporter ce livre à Marie ? (Can you bring this book to Marie?)
J’apporte des fleurs pour la fête. (I am bringing flowers for the party.)

4. Prendre soin de

Pronunciation: “Prahndr swah duh”
Meaning: This phrase is used to mean “take care of” someone or something.
In a Sentence:

Je prends soin de mon jardin. (I take care of my garden.)
Elle prend soin de son chien. (She takes care of her dog.)

5. Saisir

Pronunciation: “Say-zeer”
Meaning: This verb means to seize or grasp, typically used for quickly taking something in your hands.
In a Sentence:

Il saisit la balle. (He takes the ball.)
Elle saisit l’occasion. (She seizes the opportunity.)

6. Emprunter

Pronunciation: “Ahm-pruhn-tey”
Meaning: “Emprunter” is used when you take something temporarily, usually meaning to borrow it.
In a Sentence:

J’ai emprunté un livre à la bibliothèque. (I borrowed a book from the library.)
Peux-tu m’emprunter un stylo ? (Can you lend me a pen?)

7. Recevoir

Pronunciation: “Re-suh-vwar”
Meaning: While “recevoir” directly translates to “receive,” it can sometimes mean “take” in the sense of receiving something offered to you.
In a Sentence:

J’ai reçu une lettre. (I received a letter.)
Elle a reçu des cadeaux pour son anniversaire. (She received gifts for her birthday.)

8. Choisir

Pronunciation: “Shwah-zeer”
Meaning: “Choisir” means to choose, but it can be used as “take” when referring to taking a selection from a group.
In a Sentence:

Tu choisis une pizza ? (Do you want to take a pizza?)
J’ai choisi mon dessert. (I took my dessert.)

9. Récupérer

Pronunciation: “Ray-kyoo-peh-ray”
Meaning: “Récupérer” means to recover or retrieve something, often after it has been lost or put aside.
In a Sentence:

Elle a récupéré son sac. (She took back her bag.)
Nous allons récupérer les clés à l’accueil. (We are going to pick up the keys at the reception.)

10. Prendre un rendez-vous

Pronunciation: “Prahndr uh rahn-deh-voo”
Meaning: This is a more specific phrase used to say “make an appointment” or “take an appointment.”
In a Sentence:

J’ai pris un rendez-vous chez le médecin. (I made an appointment at the doctor’s.)
Elle prend un rendez-vous pour une consultation. (She takes an appointment for a consultation.)

11. Prendre du temps

Pronunciation: “Prahndr doo tahn”
Meaning: This phrase is used when you “take time” for something, often in the sense of dedicating time.
In a Sentence:

Il prend du temps pour réfléchir. (He takes time to think.)
Nous devons prendre du temps pour préparer. (We need to take time to prepare.)

12. Emprunter à

Pronunciation: “Ahm-pruhn-tey ah”
Meaning: This phrase means “to borrow from” and is used when taking something temporarily from someone or somewhere.
In a Sentence:

J’ai emprunté ce livre à ma sœur. (I borrowed this book from my sister.)
Peux-je emprunter ta voiture pour le week-end ? (Can I borrow your car for the weekend?)

13. Attraper

Pronunciation: “Ah-trah-pey”
Meaning: “Attraper” means to catch or grab something, often in a quick or sudden way.
In a Sentence:

Elle a attrapé le ballon. (She caught the ball.)
Il a attrapé un rhume. (He caught a cold.)

14. Détourner

Pronunciation: “Day-toor-ney”
Meaning: “Détourner” means to take something away in a deceptive or dishonest way, often used for “to hijack” or “to divert.”
In a Sentence:

Il a détourné l’argent de l’entreprise. (He took the company’s money.)
Le voleur a détourné un sac. (The thief took a bag.)

15. Subir

Pronunciation: “Soo-beer”
Meaning: This verb can be used when you “take” or undergo something, especially challenges or difficult situations.
In a Sentence:

Il a subi beaucoup de stress au travail. (He took on a lot of stress at work.)
Elle a subi une opération. (She underwent surgery.)

16. S’approprier

Pronunciation: “S’ah-pruh-pree-ay”
Meaning: “S’approprier” means to take ownership of something, or to claim it as your own.
In a Sentence:

Il s’est approprié tous les documents. (He took all the documents for himself.)
Elle s’approprie l’idée. (She takes ownership of the idea.)

17. Tirer

Pronunciation: “Teer”
Meaning: “Tirer” can mean to take something by pulling, or to draw something towards you.
In a Sentence:

Elle tire une chaise vers la table. (She takes a chair towards the table.)
Il a tiré un livre de l’étagère. (He took a book from the shelf.)

18. Mener

Pronunciation: “Meh-neh”
Meaning: “Mener” can be used to mean “take” in the sense of leading or guiding someone or something.
In a Sentence:

Il mène le groupe à l’école. (He takes the group to school.)
Elle mène la réunion. (She leads the meeting.)

19. Payer

Pronunciation: “Peh-yay”
Meaning: “Payer” is used to refer to “taking” or giving money in exchange for goods or services.
In a Sentence:

Il a payé pour le déjeuner. (He took care of paying for lunch.)
Elle paie pour son café. (She takes care of paying for her coffee.)

20. Prendre la décision

Pronunciation: “Prahndr lah day-see-zyohn”
Meaning: This phrase means “to make a decision,” or to take an important choice.
In a Sentence:

Il prend la décision de partir en vacances. (He makes the decision to go on vacation.)
Nous devons prendre une décision maintenant. (We have to make a decision now.)

21. Sélectionner

Pronunciation: “Say-lek-syo-nay”
Meaning: “Sélectionner” means to select or pick out something, which can be seen as “taking” a choice from options.
In a Sentence:

J’ai sélectionné le film pour ce soir. (I selected the movie for tonight.)
Il sélectionne un produit. (He selects a product.)

22. Accepter

Pronunciation: “Ahk-sep-tay”
Meaning: “Accepter” means to accept or take something offered, such as an invitation or gift.
In a Sentence:

Il a accepté mon invitation. (He took my invitation.)
Elle a accepté un cadeau. (She accepted a gift.)

23. Prendre part à

Pronunciation: “Prahndr par ah”
Meaning: This phrase means to “take part in” or participate in something, such as an activity or event.
In a Sentence:

Il a pris part à la compétition. (He took part in the competition.)
Elle a pris part à la réunion. (She took part in the meeting.)

24. Louer

Pronunciation: “Loo-ey”
Meaning: “Louer” means to rent or hire something, which involves taking it temporarily.
In a Sentence:

Nous avons loué une voiture pour le week-end. (We rented a car for the weekend.)
Elle loue un appartement en ville. (She rents an apartment in the city.)

25. Enlever

Pronunciation: “On-lev-ay”
Meaning: “Enlever” means to remove or take something off.
In a Sentence:

Il enlève son manteau. (He takes off his coat.)
Elle enlève les livres de la table. (She takes the books off the table.)

Other Ways to Say “Take” in French

Here is a table with other ways to say “take” in French, along with their pronunciation, meanings, and example sentences. These variations will help you to express “take” in different situations.

Other ways to say	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentences
Ramasser	“Rah-mah-say”	To pick up, gather (things from the ground, etc.)	– Elle ramasse les feuilles mortes. (She picks up the dead leaves.) – J’ai ramassé un stylo. (I picked up a pen.)
Prendre en charge	“Prahndr ahn sharj”	To take care of, manage (something or someone)	– Il prend en charge le projet. (He takes care of the project.) – Elle prend en charge la gestion des finances. (She manages the finances.)
Capter	“Kah-tey”	To capture, grasp (information or a signal)	– Il capte bien le signal ici. (He takes the signal here well.) – Elle capte les informations rapidement. (She quickly grasps the information.)
Emprunter à quelqu’un	“Ahm-pruhn-tey ah kel-kun”	To borrow from someone	– Il emprunte une caméra à son ami. (He borrows a camera from his friend.) – Peux-je emprunter des outils à toi ? (Can I borrow tools from you?)
Prendre possession de	“Prahndr poh-ses-syon duh”	To take possession of, claim ownership	– Il prend possession de la maison. (He takes possession of the house.) – Elle prend possession de son héritage. (She takes possession of her inheritance.)
Prendre un chemin	“Prahndr uhn shuh-mahn”	To take a path, follow a route	– Ils prennent un chemin différent. (They are taking a different path.) – Nous avons pris le même chemin. (We took the same route.)
S’emparer de	“Sahm-pah-ray duh”	To seize, take over (often used in the context of control)	– Les soldats se sont emparés de la ville. (The soldiers took control of the city.) – Il s’est emparé du pouvoir. (He seized power.)
Prendre un moment	“Prahndr uh moh-mohn”	To take a moment, pause for a brief time	– Prenons un moment pour réfléchir. (Let’s take a moment to think.) – Elle prend un moment pour respirer. (She takes a moment to breathe.)
Prendre un congé	“Prahndr uh kon-jay”	To take a leave (from work or school)	– Il prend un congé pour les vacances. (He takes leave for vacation.) – Elle prend un congé de maternité. (She is taking maternity leave.)
Porter	“Por-tey”	To carry, take something by holding it	– Il porte un sac lourd. (He takes a heavy bag.) – Elle porte des fleurs pour son amie. (She brings flowers for her friend.)
Se prendre pour	“Suh prahndr poor”	To take oneself for, to consider oneself as	– Il se prend pour un expert. (He takes himself for an expert.) – Elle se prend pour une artiste. (She considers herself an artist.)
Faire prendre	“Fair prahndr”	To make someone take (as in influencing action)	– Il a fait prendre des mesures urgentes. (He made them take urgent measures.) – Elle a fait prendre un médicament. (She made him take the medicine.)
Saisir l’occasion	“Say-zeer lo-kah-zyoh”	To seize the opportunity	– Il saisit l’occasion pour voyager. (He takes the opportunity to travel.) – Elle a saisi l’occasion de rencontrer de nouvelles personnes. (She took the opportunity to meet new people.)

Response to “Take” in French

When someone says “take” or uses the verb in a French sentence, there are various ways to respond depending on the context. Here are some examples of how to react or reply in French to statements involving “take.”

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1. “D’accord!”

Pronunciation: “Dah-kohr”
Meaning: “Okay!” or “Alright!” – A simple, friendly way to confirm or agree to take something or a decision.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: “Tu prends ce livre?” (Are you taking this book?)
Person 2: “D’accord!” (Okay!)

2. “Merci!”

Pronunciation: “Mehr-see”
Meaning: “Thank you!” – Often used when someone gives you something, or when you’re grateful for being offered to take something.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: “Je vais vous donner ce billet.” (I will give you this ticket.)
Person 2: “Merci!” (Thank you!)

3. “Je vais le prendre.”

Pronunciation: “Zhuh veh luh prahndr”
Meaning: “I will take it.” – A clear and direct response when you decide to take something.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: “Tu veux ce gâteau?” (Do you want this cake?)
Person 2: “Je vais le prendre.” (I will take it.)

4. “C’est bon, je prends ça.”

Pronunciation: “Say boh(n), zhuh prahnd sah”
Meaning: “It’s fine, I’ll take that.” – A response indicating that you’re fine with taking something.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: “Est-ce que tu prends la dernière part?” (Are you taking the last piece?)
Person 2: “C’est bon, je prends ça.” (It’s fine, I’ll take that.)

5. “Non, merci.”

Pronunciation: “Noh, mehr-see”
Meaning: “No, thank you.” – A polite way to refuse when someone offers something for you to take.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: “Tu veux un café?” (Do you want a coffee?)
Person 2: “Non, merci.” (No, thank you.)

6. “Je ne peux pas prendre ça.”

Pronunciation: “Zhuh nuh puh pah prahndr sah”
Meaning: “I can’t take that.” – A response when you can’t accept or take something for some reason.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: “Tu veux cette place?” (Do you want this seat?)
Person 2: “Je ne peux pas prendre ça.” (I can’t take that.)

7. “Pourquoi pas?”

Pronunciation: “Poor-kwah pah?”
Meaning: “Why not?” – A response that expresses willingness to take or accept something.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: “Tu veux venir avec nous?” (Do you want to come with us?)
Person 2: “Pourquoi pas?” (Why not?)

8. “J’ai déjà pris quelque chose.”

Pronunciation: “Zhay day-zhah pree kel-kew showz”
Meaning: “I already took something.” – A polite response when you don’t need to take anything else.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: “Tu veux un dessert?” (Do you want a dessert?)
Person 2: “J’ai déjà pris quelque chose.” (I already took something.)

9. “Pas maintenant.”

Pronunciation: “Pah meh-tuh-nahnt”
Meaning: “Not right now.” – A response indicating you don’t want to take something at the moment.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: “Tu veux partir maintenant?” (Do you want to leave now?)
Person 2: “Pas maintenant.” (Not right now.)

10. “Je vais y aller.”

Pronunciation: “Zhuh veh ee ah-lay”
Meaning: “I’ll go (take it).” – A response indicating that you will go ahead and take something.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: “Tu veux prendre ce dernier ticket?” (Do you want to take the last ticket?)
Person 2: “Je vais y aller.” (I’ll go ahead.)

Exercise to Practice Success with “Take” in French

Here are 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises using the various ways to say “take” in French. Complete the sentences with the correct verb form. Afterward, the answers and meanings of the sentences will be provided.

Fill-in-the-Blank Sentences

Je __________ mon déjeuner à 12h.
Il a __________ le livre sur la table.
Est-ce que tu veux __________ un café ?
Nous allons __________ un taxi pour aller à l’aéroport.
Je vais __________ cette place près de la fenêtre.
Elle a __________ son chapeau avant de sortir.
Tu peux __________ ce livre à la bibliothèque.
Ils ont __________ l’opportunité de voyager à l’étranger.
Je vais __________ soin de mon jardin ce week-end.
Elle a __________ un moment pour discuter.
Nous allons __________ un congé la semaine prochaine.
Il a __________ la décision de partir tôt.

Answers and Meanings:

Je prends mon déjeuner à 12h.
(I take my lunch at 12:00.)
Meaning: Refers to taking or having lunch at a specific time.
Il a pris le livre sur la table.
(He took the book from the table.)
Meaning: Refers to physically taking or picking up an object.
Est-ce que tu veux prendre un café ?
(Do you want to take a coffee?)
Meaning: Asking if someone wants to take a coffee (often means drinking or having a coffee).
Nous allons prendre un taxi pour aller à l’aéroport.
(We are going to take a taxi to go to the airport.)
Meaning: Refers to taking transportation.
Je vais prendre cette place près de la fenêtre.
(I will take this seat near the window.)
Meaning: Refers to choosing a place to sit.
Elle a enlevé son chapeau avant de sortir.
(She took off her hat before going out.)
Meaning: Refers to removing something (hat) from her head.
Tu peux emprunter ce livre à la bibliothèque.
(You can borrow this book from the library.)
Meaning: Refers to taking something temporarily, like borrowing.
Ils ont saisi l’opportunité de voyager à l’étranger.
(They seized the opportunity to travel abroad.)
Meaning: Refers to taking advantage of an opportunity.
Je vais prendre soin de mon jardin ce week-end.
(I am going to take care of my garden this weekend.)
Meaning: Refers to taking care of something or someone.
Elle a pris un moment pour discuter.
(She took a moment to talk.)
Meaning: Refers to taking a short amount of time to do something.
Nous allons prendre un congé la semaine prochaine.
(We are going to take a leave next week.)
Meaning: Refers to taking time off from work or school.
Il a pris la décision de partir tôt.
(He took the decision to leave early.)
Meaning: Refers to making a decision or choice.

Conclusion

Learning how to say “take” in French can open up many doors for expressing yourself in different situations. Whether you’re grabbing something, borrowing an item, or making a decision, the many ways to use “take” allow for a richer and more varied conversation. Understanding how to respond appropriately and practice the correct forms will make you sound more natural when speaking French.

By working through the different verbs, responses, and exercises, you can start to use “take” in all kinds of contexts—from casual conversations to more formal situations. Continue practicing, and you’ll feel more confident expressing yourself in French. Remember, the more you practice, the easier it becomes!