Étudier is the most common and direct way to say “to study” in French. But did you know there are many other nuanced verbs and expressions you can use?

Whether you're hitting the books for an exam, delving into a new hobby, or simply trying to learn a new language, you'll often find yourself needing to express the act of “studying” in French. Knowing a variety of ways to say it will not only make your French sound more natural but also allow you to convey precise meanings.

Let's dive into 9 different ways to say “to study” in French, exploring their nuances and when to use each one!

1. The most common 'to study' – étudier

The most common 'to study' – étudier

The verb étudier is the most direct and common way to say 'to study' in French. It refers to the act of dedicating time and effort to learn a subject, prepare for an exam, or analyze something in depth.

As a regular -er verb, étudier follows a predictable conjugation pattern, making it relatively easy to learn. You simply drop the -er and add the appropriate endings for each subject pronoun.

Étudier is predominantly used for formal academic study. This includes studying at school, college, university, or for specific courses and diplomas.

Beyond formal education, étudier also applies to self-study, researching a topic, or carefully examining a document, a situation, or even a person's behavior.

While related, étudier (to study) is distinct from apprendre (to learn). Étudier emphasizes the process of acquiring knowledge, the act of engaging with the material. Apprendre focuses on the result – the acquisition of knowledge or a skill.

Étudier is typically a transitive verb, meaning it usually takes a direct object. You 'study something' (e.g., étudier le français, étudier un livre, étudier un problème).

You'll often hear it used with prepositions like pour (for) when preparing for something (e.g., étudier pour un examen) or à (at/in) when specifying a place of study (e.g., étudier à la bibliothèque, étudier à l'université).

This verb is perfectly suitable for both formal and informal conversations, making it your go-to choice when discussing studying in almost any context.

💡 * J'étudie le français depuis deux ans. (I have been studying French for two years.)

• Ils étudient à la bibliothèque pour leurs examens. (They are studying at the library for their exams.)
• Nous devons étudier ce dossier attentivement. (We must study this file carefully.)
• Mon fils étudie l'histoire à l'université. (My son studies history at university.)
• Tu as bien étudié ? (Did you study well?)

The general 'to learn' (often implying study) – apprendre

The general 'to learn' (often implying study) – apprendre

When you want to express the act of acquiring knowledge or a skill through study, instruction, or experience, the most common and versatile French verb to use is apprendre.

To say you are learning a specific subject, language, or skill, apprendre takes a direct object. For example, J'apprends le français (I'm learning French) or Il apprend une nouvelle chanson (He's learning a new song).

When learning to do something, apprendre is followed by the preposition à and then an infinitive verb. For instance, Elle apprend à nager (She is learning to swim) or Nous apprenons à cuisiner (We are learning to cook).

Apprendre can also mean 'to learn' in the sense of 'to find out' or 'to be informed of' a fact or piece of news. In this context, it's often followed by que (that) or a noun. For example, J'ai appris qu'il déménage (I learned that he's moving) or Nous avons appris la nouvelle (We learned the news).

This verb is fundamental for discussing education, personal development, and the acquisition of new information. It implies a process of gaining understanding or mastery, often through effort or teaching, making it ideal for academic or skill-based learning contexts.

💡 * J'apprends le français depuis deux ans. (I have been learning French for two years.)

• Mon fils apprend à faire du vélo. (My son is learning to ride a bike.)
• Nous avons appris la bonne nouvelle hier. (We learned the good news yesterday.)
• Il est difficile d'apprendre une nouvelle langue. (It is difficult to learn a new language.)
• Apprenez vos leçons pour l'examen! (Learn your lessons for the exam!)

The 'to revise' or 'to review' – réviser

The French verb réviser primarily translates to 'to revise' or 'to review' in English. It's a fundamental term, particularly in educational and professional settings.

Its most frequent usage is in an academic context, meaning 'to study for an exam,' 'to go over lessons,' or 'to prepare for a test.' For example, réviser ses leçons means 'to revise one's lessons'.

Beyond studies, réviser can also describe reviewing documents, a contract, or even having a vehicle checked or serviced. For instance, faire réviser sa voiture means 'to have one's car serviced'.

Réviser is a regular -ER verb, which means its conjugation follows predictable patterns. This makes it relatively easy to learn and apply in various tenses.

💡 * Je dois réviser mes notes pour l'examen. (I need to revise my notes for the exam.)

• Nous allons réviser le contrat avant de le signer. (We are going to review the contract before signing it.)
• Elle a révisé toute la nuit. (She revised/studied all night.)
• Il faut faire réviser la chaudière chaque année. (The boiler needs to be serviced every year.)

The 'to pursue studies' or 'to be a student' – faire des études

The French expression faire des études translates directly to "to do studies" but is idiomatically understood as "to pursue studies" or "to be a student," primarily in a context of higher education.

Unlike a simple verb like étudier (to study), faire des études is a fixed phrase that emphasizes the act of undertaking and engaging in a course of academic learning, rather than just the action of studying for a test.

This phrase is most commonly used when referring to someone attending college, university, or any post-secondary institution. It implies a structured academic path leading to a degree or qualification.

The verb faire is conjugated according to the subject, while études is always used in the plural and is often followed by a preposition (like de or en) to specify the field of study.

💡 * Je fais des études d'ingénieur. (I am pursuing engineering studies.)

• Elle a fait ses études à l'université de Lyon. (She did her studies at the University of Lyon.)
• Beaucoup de jeunes rêvent de faire des études à l'étranger. (Many young people dream of studying abroad.)
• Pour devenir médecin, il faut faire de longues études. (To become a doctor, one must pursue long studies.)
• Mes enfants vont faire des études supérieures l'année prochaine. (My children are going to pursue higher education next year.)

The informal 'to work hard' or 'to study hard' – bosser

The informal 'to work hard' or 'to study hard' – bosser

Bosser is a widely used, informal French verb that translates to 'to work hard,' 'to study hard,' or simply 'to work' when referring to intense effort.

You'll hear bosser frequently in casual conversations among friends, family, or close colleagues. It conveys a sense of dedication and effort, often with a slightly colloquial feel.

It serves as a more relaxed alternative to the standard travailler (to work) or étudier (to study). While travailler and étudier are neutral, bosser adds a touch of informality and often implies a stronger commitment or a more demanding task.

Grammatically, bosser is a regular -ER verb. This means its conjugation follows the same straightforward pattern as verbs like parler or aimer, making it easy to integrate into your vocabulary.

While versatile and common, remember to use bosser primarily in informal settings. It might sound out of place in very formal or professional contexts, where travailler or étudier would be more appropriate.

💡 * Je dois bosser pour mes examens ce week-end. (I have to study hard for my exams this weekend.)

• On a bossé comme des fous sur ce projet. (We worked like crazy on this project.)
• Tu bosses toujours aussi tard ? (Do you always work so late/hard?)
• J'ai bossé toute la nuit pour finir ce rapport. (I worked all night to finish this report.)
• Mes parents bossent dur pour nous offrir des vacances. (My parents work hard to give us a vacation.)

The informal 'to cram' (for an exam) – bachoter

The informal 'to cram' (for an exam) – bachoter

In French, to express the act of "cramming" or "swotting" for an exam, the informal verb you'll often hear among students is bachoter. It perfectly captures the intense, last-minute study effort.

The term bachoter is widely believed to derive from the baccalauréat (often shortened to "bac"), the comprehensive French high school diploma exam. This origin reinforces its strong association with student life and exam preparation, making it a distinctly informal and colloquial expression.

As a regular -ER verb, bachoter is straightforward to conjugate (e.g., je bachote, tu bachotes, il/elle bachote). You'll typically use it directly to mean "to cram for an exam," often followed by the exam itself or the subject being crammed.

💡 *J'ai un examen demain, je dois bachoter toute la nuit. (I have an exam tomorrow, I need to cram all night.)
*Arrête de bachoter, tu as bien révisé ! (Stop cramming, you've revised well!)
*Les étudiants sont en train de bachoter pour leurs partiels. (The students are cramming for their midterms.)

The informal 'to pore over' or 'to study intensely' – potasser

When you want to express the idea of studying intensely, cramming, or poring over something in an informal way, the verb to use is potasser.

Potasser is a highly informal verb, commonly used among students or when talking about preparing for exams or difficult subjects. It implies a focused, often prolonged, period of intense study, usually with a specific goal like passing a test.

Unlike the more formal étudier (to study), potasser carries a connotation of hard work and deep concentration, sometimes even implying last-minute cramming. It's similar to English phrases like 'to hit the books hard' or 'to bone up on something'.

💡 * Je dois potasser mes maths pour l'examen de demain. (I have to cram my math for tomorrow's exam.)

• Elle passe ses soirées à potasser ses cours de droit. (She spends her evenings poring over her law classes.)
• Arrête de potasser et viens prendre une pause! (Stop studying intensely and come take a break!)
• On a potassé toute la nuit avant le partiel. (We crammed all night before the midterm.)

The expressive 'to dive into books' – se plonger dans les livres

The expressive “to dive into books” – se plonger dans les livres

The French phrase se plonger dans les livres literally translates to “to plunge oneself into books.” It's used to convey the act of deeply immersing oneself in reading, much like diving into water.

This expression goes beyond simply “reading” (lire). It suggests a profound engagement, a moment where one gets lost in the pages, fully absorbed in the story or information. It implies a passionate, focused, and often enjoyable dedication to reading.

Se plonger is a reflexive verb, meaning “to plunge oneself.” The se changes according to the subject (e.g., je me plonge, tu te plonges, il/elle se plonge). This structure emphasizes the active choice of the reader to immerse themselves.

💡 *Quand il est fatigué, il aime se plonger dans un bon roman. (When he's tired, he likes to dive into a good novel.)
*Elle se plonge dans ses livres pour échapper à la réalité. (She dives into her books to escape reality.)
*Après une longue journée, rien de mieux que de se plonger dans la lecture. (After a long day, nothing's better than to dive into reading.)
*Les étudiants se sont plongés dans leurs manuels pour l'examen. (The students plunged into their textbooks for the exam.)

The practical 'to take classes' (which involves studying) – suivre des cours

When you want to express 'to take classes' in French, especially in the sense of attending and following a course of study, the most common and appropriate phrase is suivre des cours.

Literally, suivre means to follow, and des cours means classes or courses. So, suivre des cours translates to 'to follow classes,' which perfectly conveys the idea of actively participating in and progressing through a curriculum.

While you might intuitively think of prendre des cours (to take classes), prendre often implies a more passive 'taking' or 'receiving' of something. Suivre des cours is preferred when you mean to be enrolled in classes, to attend classes regularly, or to study a subject.

This phrase is versatile and can be used for various educational settings, from university studies to language lessons or workshops. It emphasizes the ongoing commitment to learning.

💡 *Je suis des cours de français à l'université. (I am taking French classes at the university.)
*Elle a suivi des cours de piano pendant dix ans. (She took piano lessons for ten years.)
*Nous allons suivre des cours de cuisine ce semestre. (We are going to take cooking classes this semester.)
*Pour améliorer son niveau, il doit suivre des cours intensifs. (To improve his level, he must take intensive classes.)
*Combien de cours suivez-vous ce trimestre ? (How many classes are you taking this quarter?)

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

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

Our list covers the most common verbs for “to study” in French. However, the French language is rich with nuances, offering many other expressions, from formal academic terms to informal slang used by students today.

You can also explore more specific contexts by searching online for phrases like 'comment dire étudier en argot' (how to say 'to study' in slang) or 'vocabulaire universitaire français' (French university vocabulary).

As you encounter new verbs or expressions related to studying, always make sure to check their precise meaning and observe how they are used in different contexts before incorporating them into your own vocabulary.

Immerse yourself in French content — read books, watch films, and listen to podcasts. You’ll undoubtedly discover various creative and precise ways native speakers talk about the act of studying or learning.

For a deeper dive into the nuances of étudier and related verbs, the WordReference entry for étudier is an excellent starting point, offering synonyms, idiomatic expressions, and usage examples.

I hope this article has helped you broaden your French vocabulary. To conclude, here’s a quote to inspire your learning journey: 'La connaissance s'acquiert par l'étude, l'expérience et la réflexion.' (Knowledge is acquired through study, experience, and reflection.) Keep studying, and your French will flourish!