courir
/ku.ʁiʁ/
The English phrase "to run" is translated into French as courir.
courir is used to describe the physical action of moving quickly on foot. For the specific hobby or exercise of jogging, French speakers typically use the phrase faire du jogging.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the present tense, the third-person singular form is il court and the first-person plural form is nous courons. The past participle of the verb is couru.
How do you pronounce it?
/ku.ʁiʁ/
Did you know?
- The phrase courir le jupon literally means 'to run the petticoat' and is an old-fashioned way to describe a man who chases women.
- While English speakers 'run' for office, French speakers use the verb se présenter to describe running for a political position.
- In French, if someone is 'running late', they do not use courir but instead say être en retard, which literally means 'to be in delay'.
Examples in context
- Il me faut courir.I have to run.This sentence is useful for expressing necessity using courir.Tatoeba #2443537 by sacredceltic, translation #2280304 by CK
- Il commença à courir.He began to run.This sentence is useful for describing the start of an action using courir.Tatoeba #362340 by pierrephi, translation #300899 by CK
- Je n'aime pas courir.I don't like to run.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of preference using courir.Tatoeba #2286679 by sacredceltic, translation #2285780 by AlanF_US
- Il court tous les matins dans le parcHe runs in the park every morning
- J'ai vu le voleur et j'ai décidé de partir en courantI saw the thief and decided to run away
- Après avoir terminé la livraison, il a filé à toute vitesseAfter finishing the delivery, he ran off at full speed
- Quand il a vu l'énorme araignée, il a foutu le campWhen he saw the giant spider, he ran away
- 62 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their morning exercise routine.
- NathanTu veux courir avec moi demain?Do you want to run with me tomorrow?
- EmmaOui, j'adore courir le matin.Yes, I love running in the morning.
- NathanOn peut courir dans le parc.We can run in the park.
- EmmaC'est une excellente idée, Nathan.That is an excellent idea, Nathan.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry courir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
