Whether you're organizing a weekend getaway, scheduling a business meeting, or simply figuring out what to make for dinner, the verb 'to plan' is a daily essential. In French, while you might be tempted to use the verb planifier for everything, the language offers a rich variety of more specific and nuanced words.

Using the right verb can make you sound much more like a native speaker, adding precision to your intentions. Are you simply scheduling an appointment, or are you envisioning your future career path?

Let's explore nine essential ways to say 'to plan' in French and get you ready to organize your life, en français!

The standard 'to plan' – Planifier

The most direct and standard French verb for 'to plan' is planifier. As a cognate, it's one of the easiest words for English speakers to learn and use correctly.

Planifier specifically means to organize the details of something in advance, often creating a schedule or a step-by-step process. It implies a degree of formality and structure.

Grammatically, planifier is a regular -er verb. This is great news for learners, as it follows the most common and predictable conjugation pattern in French. For example, in the present tense: je planifie, tu planifies, il/elle planifie, nous planifions, vous planifiez, ils/elles planifient.

This verb is perfectly suited for professional, academic, or serious personal contexts. Use it when talking about planning a project, a business meeting, a detailed vacation itinerary, or a significant event like a wedding.

The corresponding noun is la planification, which translates to 'planning' or 'scheduling'. For instance, you might say, La planification de cet événement a pris des mois. (The planning for this event took months.)

💡 * Nous devons planifier notre budget pour l'année prochaine.

• L'entreprise planifie le lancement d'un nouveau produit.
• Elle a planifié chaque détail de son mariage.
• Avez-vous planifié vos vacances d'été ?

The 'to foresee' or 'to plan for' – Prévoir

The versatile French verb prévoir is a crucial one for learners. It elegantly combines two related but distinct English concepts: 'to foresee' or 'predict,' and 'to plan for' or 'make arrangements for'.

The first primary meaning of prévoir is 'to foresee' or 'to forecast'. This usage implies an ability to predict a future event, often based on data or signs. It’s the verb you'll see constantly in weather reports (la météo).

Equally common is the second meaning: 'to plan for' or 'to provide for'. When you prévois something in this sense, you are actively making arrangements or organizing an event in advance. It's about preparation, not just prediction.

How do you tell the meanings apart? Context is your best friend. If the subject is an uncontrollable event like the weather or a crisis, it likely means 'foresee'. If it's about your schedule, a party, or a project, it almost certainly means 'plan'.

A quick note on conjugation: prévoir is conjugated like the verb voir (to see). This means its future tense is irregular and a common pitfall for students. The correct form is je prévoirai, not je prévoirai.

💡 * La météo prévoit du soleil pour tout le week-end.

• Nous avons prévu de visiter le Louvre samedi matin.
• Il est difficile de prévoir l'évolution de la situation économique.
• N'oubliez pas de prévoir assez de boissons pour tous les invités.

The 'to organize' (an event) – Organiser

The French verb organiser is a direct and simple equivalent to the English verb 'to organize.' It's one of the most common verbs you'll use when planning events, activities, or even just your thoughts.

Good news for learners: organiser is a regular -er verb. This means it follows the standard conjugation pattern, making it predictable and easy to use. For example, in the present tense: j'organise, tu organises, il/elle/on organise, nous organisons, vous organisez, ils/elles organisent.

You will frequently hear organiser in contexts related to planning social or professional gatherings. It's the go-to verb for arranging a party (organiser une fête), a meeting (organiser une réunion), a trip (organiser un voyage), or a conference (organiser une conférence).

It's also useful to know the related noun, une organisation. This can refer to 'an organization' (like a company or a charity) or the act of 'organization' itself. For example, L'organisation de l'événement était parfaite (The organization of the event was perfect).

💡 * Nous organisons une fête pour son anniversaire. (We are organizing a party for his/her birthday.)

• Peux-tu organiser la réunion de demain ? (Can you organize tomorrow's meeting?)
• Ils ont organisé un voyage en Italie. (They organized a trip to Italy.)
• J'ai besoin d'organiser mes idées avant la présentation. (I need to organize my thoughts before the presentation.)

1. The 'to schedule' or 'to program' – Programmer

A versatile and essential French verb is programmer, which translates to 'to schedule' or 'to program'.

The primary meaning of programmer is 'to program,' as in coding a computer or setting a device. For example, programmer un ordinateur (to program a computer). It is also commonly used to mean 'to schedule' or 'to plan' an event or activity, such as programmer une réunion (to schedule a meeting).

As a regular -er verb, programmer follows a standard and predictable conjugation pattern, making it relatively easy for learners to master. The present tense conjugation for je is je programme, for tu it's tu programmes, and for il/elle/on it's il programme.

Understanding the context is crucial to distinguish between its two main uses. The surrounding words, such as réunion (meeting) or logiciel (software), will clarify whether you are scheduling something or programming something.

💡 * Je dois programmer une réunion pour demain. (I have to schedule a meeting for tomorrow.)

• Elle adore programmer des applications pour téléphones. (She loves to program phone applications.)
• Nous avons programmé nos vacances pour le mois d'août. (We have scheduled our vacation for August.)
• Le technicien va programmer la nouvelle machine. (The technician is going to program the new machine.)

4. The 'to intend' or 'to project' – Projeter de

The phrase projeter de is a specific way to express that you 'plan' or 'intend' to do something. It literally translates to 'to project to do' and implies a concrete plan or a well-thought-out project.

The construction is straightforward: conjugate the verb projeter to match the subject, follow it with the preposition de, and then add the infinitive form of the action verb. The basic structure is sujet + projeter (conjugué) + de + verbe à l'infinitif.

Use projeter de for significant, long-term plans like starting a business, buying a house, or taking a major trip. It carries more weight than simpler alternatives like compter faire (to count on doing) or penser faire (to think of doing), which can be used for more casual intentions.

Be mindful of conjugation. Projeter is a stem-changing verb like jeter. The 't' doubles in most present tense forms to maintain the correct sound: je projette, tu projettes, il/elle/on projette, ils/elles projettent. However, it remains a single 't' for nous and vous: nous projetons, vous projetez.

💡 * Nous projetons d'acheter une maison l'année prochaine. (We are planning to buy a house next year.)

• Elle projette de lancer sa propre entreprise après ses études. (She intends to launch her own company after her studies.)
• Que projetez-vous de faire pour améliorer la situation ? (What do you project to do to improve the situation?)

The 'to consider' or 'to contemplate' – Envisager de

The French expression envisager de is a direct and common way to say you are 'considering,' 'contemplating,' or 'planning on' doing something. It implies a serious thought process about a future action.

The key to using this phrase correctly is its structure: envisager de + infinitive verb. The preposition de is essential when the object of consideration is an action. For example, you say J'envisage d'acheter une maison (I'm considering buying a house).

While penser à means 'to think about,' envisager de carries more weight. It suggests that you've moved beyond a simple thought and are now in the planning or evaluation stage. It's less about a fleeting idea and more about a potential plan.

This phrase is widely used in both formal and informal contexts. You can use it to discuss career changes, travel plans, major purchases, or any significant decision you are mulling over. It perfectly communicates that a decision is under review but not yet finalized.

💡 * J'envisage de déménager à Lyon l'année prochaine.

• Envisagez-vous de changer de travail ?
• Nous n'envisageons pas de vendre notre voiture pour le moment.
• Elle envisage d'apprendre une nouvelle langue.

The 'to intend' or 'to count on doing' – Compter (faire quelque chose)

The verb compter is most known for meaning 'to count.' However, when you use it in the structure compter + [infinitive verb], it takes on the meaning of 'to intend to,' 'to plan on,' or 'to count on doing' something. It's a common way to express a future plan or intention.

This construction is used to talk about plans that are more than just a fleeting thought but might not be definitively set in stone. It's stronger than 'I would like to' (j'aimerais) but perhaps less certain than 'I am going to' (je vais). For example, Je compte apprendre le français implies a firm personal goal.

Compter is a regular -er verb, making it easy to use. In the present tense, which is often used for this expression, it conjugates as follows: je compte, tu comptes, il/elle/on compte, nous comptons, vous comptez, ils/elles comptent.

💡 * Je compte voyager en Espagne l'année prochaine. (I intend to travel to Spain next year.)

• Elle compte finir ses devoirs avant de sortir. (She plans on finishing her homework before going out.)
• Nous comptons acheter une maison dans quelques années. (We are planning to buy a house in a few years.)
• Que comptes-tu faire après tes études ? (What do you intend to do after your studies?)

1. The 'to prepare' – Préparer

Préparer is the most direct and common French verb for 'to prepare' or 'to make ready'. It's a highly versatile verb that you'll encounter in countless situations, from the kitchen to the classroom.

Just like its English counterpart, you can use préparer for almost anything. This includes preparing food (préparer le dîner), preparing for an event (préparer un voyage), or preparing for a task (préparer un examen).

The reflexive form, se préparer, is essential and means 'to get ready' or 'to prepare oneself'. For example, Je me prépare pour sortir means 'I am getting ready to go out.'

Good news for learners: préparer is a regular -er verb, which means its conjugation follows a predictable and easy-to-learn pattern in most tenses.

💡 * Je dois préparer mes valises pour le voyage. (I have to prepare my suitcases for the trip.)

• Elle prépare un gâteau pour l'anniversaire de son fils. (She is preparing a cake for her son's birthday.)
• Nous nous préparons pour l'examen de demain. (We are preparing/getting ready for tomorrow's exam.)
• Préparez-vous, le train va bientôt partir. (Get ready, the train is about to leave.)

1. The Informal 'to scheme' or 'to plot' – Manigancer

The French verb manigancer is a colloquial term that translates to 'to scheme,' 'to plot,' or 'to be up to something.' It's used to describe secretive and often clever planning, usually for something mischievous rather than truly malicious.

You'll hear manigancer in informal, everyday conversations. It’s perfect for describing kids plotting a prank, friends planning a surprise, or someone trying to cleverly arrange a situation to their advantage. It carries a sense of cunning and light intrigue.

Fortunately, manigancer is a regular -er verb. The only thing to watch for is the spelling change in forms where 'c' is followed by an 'a' or 'o'. To maintain the soft 's' sound, the 'c' becomes a 'ç'. For example: nous manigançons (we are scheming).

While comploter also means 'to plot,' it has a much more serious and negative connotation, implying a genuine conspiracy. Manigancer is the lighter, less severe alternative. If you suspect your colleagues are planning a surprise birthday lunch, they are en train de manigancer. If you think they're plotting to overthrow the company, they are en train de comploter.

💡 * Qu'est-ce que vous manigancez tous les deux ? (What are you two plotting?)

• Je suis sûr qu'ils manigancent quelque chose pour mon anniversaire. (I'm sure they're scheming something for my birthday.)
• Il a manigancé un plan pour éviter de faire ses devoirs. (He schemed up a plan to avoid doing his homework.)
• Elle est toujours en train de manigancer pour obtenir ce qu'elle veut. (She is always plotting to get what she wants.)

Are there other ways to say 'to plan' in French?

Are there other ways to say “to plan” in French?

Our guide has covered the most common and versatile verbs for saying “to plan” in French. However, the language is rich with nuance, and you'll encounter other terms in specific contexts, from business jargon to regional expressions.

You can expand your vocabulary by doing an online search for phrases like “vocabulaire de la gestion de projet” (project management vocabulary) or “comment organiser un événement en français” (how to organize an event in French).

Whenever you find a new synonym for planifier or prévoir, remember to check its definition and see how it's used in a sentence. Context is crucial for choosing the right word for your situation.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to French content. Notice how people talk about making arrangements, scheduling meetings, or setting goals. This is one of the best ways to internalize the subtle differences.

If you're looking for more words related to organizing or scheduling, the WordReference entries for planifier and organiser are fantastic resources to explore.

I hope this article helps you plan your French learning journey more effectively. To finish, here is a perfect quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Pour ce qui est de l'avenir, il ne s'agit pas de le prévoir, mais de le rendre possible. (As for the future, it is not a matter of predicting it, but of making it possible.)