lire
/liʁ/
To read in French, meaning to look at and interpret letters or information, use lire.
lire is the standard, widely used verb for to read. To wish someone a good read, French says Bonne lecture!
Meaning: to look at and interpret letters or other information (verb)
Which one should you use?
Parcourir suggests browsing or skimming rather than reading a whole work. Feuilleter means flipping or leafing through a book or magazine. Bouquiner is an informal verb for leisurely reading. The noun lecture means a reading or the act of reading.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The present tense includes je lis, tu lis and il/elle lit. The past participle is lu, used in compound tenses such as the passé composé.
How do you pronounce it?
lire is pronounced /liʁ/, in one syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
lecture is a false friend. It does not mean an academic lecture, une lecture is a reading or the act of reading.
Did you know?
- The French word lire shares a common ancestor with the English word 'collect'. Both come from the Proto-Indo-European root *leǵ-, which originally meant to gather or pick up.
- The verb lire is used in the expression lire dans les pensées, which means to read someone's mind.
- While English uses 'read' for both text and mind, French uses the specific expression lire dans les pensées to describe reading someone's thoughts.
Examples in context
- Je dois le lire.I've got to read it.le lire means to read it.Tatoeba #8764631 by Julien_PDC, translation #13507064 by rul
- Je peux le lire.I can read it.le lire here follows the verb for can.Tatoeba #12297079 by Rovo, translation #6358571 by CK
- Sais-tu lire ça ?Can you read that?Sais-tu lire asks if someone is able to read.Tatoeba #1849795 by sacredceltic, translation #1839448 by CK
- Je suis en train de lire un livreI am reading a book
- Je parcours les journaux tous les matinsI read through newspapers every morning
- Je lis un roman passionnantI am reading an exciting novel
- J'aime bouquiner dans mon jardinI enjoy reading books in my garden
- Je feuillette un magazine de cuisineI am flipping through a cooking magazine
- Je suis en train de lire un roman captivant de Victor Hugo.I am currently reading a captivating novel by Victor Hugo.
- Est-ce que tu lis souvent des magazines de mode?Do you often read fashion magazines?
- Elle adore bouquiner dans les cafés durant ses heures libres.She loves reading books in cafes during her free time.
- Pendant les vacances, j'aime feuilleter des guides touristiques.During vacations, I enjoy flipping through tourist guides.
- 707 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are at a bookstore.
- EmmaTu veux lire ce livre ?Do you want to read this book?
- GabrielOui, je vais le lire ce soir.Yes, I am going to read it tonight.
- EmmaIl est facile à lire.It is easy to read.
- GabrielC'est parfait pour moi, Emma.That is perfect for me, Emma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “read” translations and entries lire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lire, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
