consommer

to consume

verb kohn-so-MEH Rare

Also means

to consummate

Usage Note

Consommer covers consuming food or drink, using up resources (consommer de l'énergie), and consummating a marriage or act. A consommation is a drink ordered at a café — payer sa consommation ('to pay for one's drink'). In French cafés, you may be asked 'vous avez une consommation?' to confirm you have ordered.

Examples

"Ce moteur consomme trop d'essence."

Natural Translation

This engine consumes too much petrol.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

Avoir or Être? Picking the Right Past-Tense Helper

Use avoir for the passé composé unless the verb is reflexive or one of ~16 DR MRS VANDERTRAMP motion verbs, which take être and force agreement.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Greetings: Bonjour, Salut, Coucou Explained

Bonjour, salut, or coucou? Pick the right French greeting every time with a simple two-axis guide to formality and time of day, plus how to say goodbye.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Liaison Rules: When to Link Words (and Not To)

French liaison links a silent final consonant to the next vowel. Learn the obligatory, forbidden, and optional rules, plus the s→z and d→t sound shifts.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Aller + Infinitive: The Easy French Future

Form the French near future in seconds: conjugate aller in the present and add an infinitive. Learn futur proche rules, negation, pronouns, and when to use it.

June 4, 2026 6 min read