French Verbs with Prepositions PDF

# How to Use French Verbs with Prepositions In English many verbs require a certain preposition in order for the meaning of the verb to be complete, such as "to look at", "to take care of", etc. The same is true in French, but unfortunately, the prepositions required for French verbs are often not...

# How to Use French Verbs with Prepositions In English many verbs require a certain preposition in order for the meaning of the verb to be complete, such as "to look at", "to take care of", etc. The same is true in French, but unfortunately, the prepositions required for French verbs are often not the same as the ones required by their English counterparts. In addition, some verbs that require a preposition in English don't take one in French, and vice versa. ## Common Prepositions: *à* and *de* *à* and *de* are by far the most common French prepositions for verbs. Because there are so many, these are divided into those that are followed by an **infinitive** and those that are followed by an **indirect object**. * **à + infinitive** * **à + indirect object** * **de + infinitive** * **de + indirect object** Some verbs have a different meaning depending on whether they are followed by *à* or *de*, while other verbs require both prepositions: *à* and/or *de*. ## Other Prepositions The expressions *c'est* and *il est* have their own rules about which preposition follows: *c'est* / *il est* + **prepositions**. *Note: There are also constructions with no verb + *à* or *de* + infinitive, a structure known as **passive infinitive**. While *à* and *de* are the most common prepositions required after verbs, there are others as well: * contre * dans * en * par * pour * sur * vers ## Verbs Without Prepositions And finally, a number of French verbs don't require a preposition whereas their English equivalents do: * **no preposition + infinitive** * **no preposition + direct object** ## List of French Verbs with Prepositions Many French verbs require a certain preposition in order for their meaning to be complete. Some of the verbs are followed by prepositions "à" or "de" and others by no preposition at all. There is no apparent grammar rule to which verbs require a preposition and which do not, so it is a good idea to memorize the ones that do have a preposition attached. The list below is organized alphabetically and includes verbs with prepositions. The prepositions are in _italics_ to make them easy to spot. ### Abbreviation Key: In the French, _quelque chose_ is listed as _qqch_ and _quelqu'un_ is written _qqun_, and in the English, _someone_ is _s-o_ and _something_ is _s-t_. **A to C (s’arbriter - croire)** * s’abriter _contre_ (le vent) - to take shelter against (the wind) * accepter _de_ - to accept, agree to * accuser (qqun) _de_ - to accuse (s-o) of * acheter _à_ - to buy from * acheter (qqch) _sur le marché_ - to buy (s-t) at the market * achever _de_ - to finish * agir _en_ - to act like/as * s’agir _de_ - to be a question of * aider _à_ - to help to * aller - to go, to be going to * aller _vers_ (midi) - to go at around (noon) * aller _vers_ (Nice) - to go toward (Nice) * s’amuser _à_ + infinitive - to amuse oneself * apercevoir - to perceive, catch sight of * s’apercevoir _de_ - to notice * apprendre _à_ - to learn how to * s’apprêter _à_ - to get ready to * s'approcher _de_ - to approach * appuyer _sur_ (le bouton) - to press (the button) * appuyer _sur_ (le mur) - to lean on (the wall) * s’appuyer _contre_ (un arbre) - to lean against (a tree) * arracher _à_ - to grab, tear away from * (s')arrêter _de_ - to stop_-ing * arriver _à_ - to manage/succeed in_-ing * arriver _de_ (Paris, Canada) - to arrive from (Paris, Canada) * arriver _par_ - to succeed through/by * arriver _sur_ (midi) - to arrive at around (noon) * s’asseoir _contre_ (son ami) - to sit next to (one’s friend) * assister _à_ (la réunion) - to attend (the meeting) * s'assurer _contre_ (l'incendie) - to insure against (fire) * attendre - to wait for * s'attendre _à_ - to expect to * s'autoriser _à_ - to authorize / allow to * avertir _de_ - to warn about * avoir _à_ - to have to / be obliged to * avoir _beau_ (j'ai _beau_ essayer) - despite doing (despite trying) * avoir _besoin_ de - to need * avoir _confiance_ en - to trust * avoir _envie_ de - to want * avoir _peur_ de - to be afraid of_-ing * se battre _contre_ - to fight against * blâmer _de_ - to blame * se blottir _contre_ (sa mère, son chien) - to cuddle up next to (one’s mother, dog) * boire _qqchose_ _dans_ (une tasse) - to drink something out of (a cup) * casser _en_ (morceaux, trois) - to break in(to) (pieces, three) * cesser _de_ - to stop, cease -ing * changer _de_ (train) - to change (trains) * se changer _en_ - to change into * chercher - to look for * chercher _à_ - to attempt to * chercher _dans_ (la boîte) - to look in (the box) * choisir _de_ - to choose to * commander (à qqun) _de faire_ - to order (someone) to do * commencer _à_ - to begin to, to begin -ing * commencer _par_ -ing - to begin by -ing * compter - to expect, intend * compter _pour_ - to be worth * compter _sur_ - to count on * concentrer _sur_ - to * condamner _pour_ (meurtre) - to sentence for (murder) * conseiller _à_ - to advise * conseiller _à qqun_ _de faire qqch_ - to advise someone to do something * conseiller _de_ - to advise to * consentir _à_ - to consent to * se contenter _de_ - to be happy -ing * continuer _à/de_ - to continue to, to continue-ing * convenir _à_ - to please, to be suitable for * convenir _de_ - to agree to * convertir _qqch_ _en_ - to convert s-t into **D to I (daigner - inviter)** * daigner - to deign to * décider (qqun) _à_ - to persuade (s-o) to * décider _de_ - to decide to * se décider _à_ - to make up one’s mind to * défendre _à_ (qqun) - to forbid (s-o) * défendre _à qqun_ _de faire qqch_ - to forbid s-o to do s-t * défendre _de_ (qqch) - to forbid (s-t) * se déguiser _en_ - to disguise oneself as * demander - to ask for * demander _à_ (qqun) - to ask (someone) * demander _à_ (faire qqch) - to ask (for permission to do something) * demander _à qqun_ _de faire qqch_ - to ask s-o to do s-t * se dépêcher _de_ - to hurry to * dépendre _de_ - to depend on * déplaire _à_ - to displease / be displeasing to * déranger _qqun_ _de_ - to bother s-o to * descendre - to go down (stairs) * désirer - to want * détester - to hate * devoir - to have to, be obliged to * dire _à_ (qqun) - to say to, to tell (s-o) * dire _à qqun_ _de faire qqch_ - to tell someone to do something * diriger son attention _sur_ - to direct one’s attention to * se diriger _vers_ - to move toward/make/head for * donner _qqch_ - to give something * donner _qqch_ _contre_ - to give something in exchange for * donner _qqch_ _à qqun_ - to give s-o s-t, to give s-t to s-o * donner _sur_ - to overlook, open onto * dormir (la nuit) - to sleep (at night) * douter _de_ - to doubt * échanger _qqch_ _contre qqch_ - to exchange something for s-t else * écouter (la radio) - to listen to (the radio) * écrire _en_ (encre, français) - to write in (ink, French) * écrire _sur_ - to write about * s’efforcer _de_ - to endeavor to * emmener - to take * s’emparer _de_ - to grab * empêcher _de_ - to prevent, keep from_-ing * s’empresser _de_ - to hurry to * emprunter un livre _à qqun_ - to borrow a book from s-o * encourager _qqun_ _à faire_ - to encourage s-o to do * s’endormir _sur_ (un livre, son travail) - to fall asleep (over a book, at work) * s’engager _à_ - to get around to * ennuyer _qqun_ _de_ - to bother/upset s-o to * enseigner _à_ - to teach to * entendre - to hear * entrer - to enter (in order to do something) * entrer _dans_ - to enter * envoyer (qqch) _à_ (qqun) - to send (s-t) to (s-o) * envoyer _chercher_ - to send for * essayer - to try on * essayer _de_ - to try to * s’étendre _sur_ - to spread out over * s’étonner _de_ - to be astonished by * être _à_ - to belong to * être _censé_ - to be supposed to * être _en colère_ _contre_ - to be angry at * être _pour_ - to be in favor of * être _vers_ (Paris, 3h00) - to be around/near (Paris, 3:00) * se fâcher _contre_ - to get mad at * faillir - to almost do something * faire + infinitive (causative) - to cause to * faire _attention_ _à_ - to pay attention to * falloir (il _faut_) - to be necessary to * féliciter _qqun_ _de_ - to congratulate s-o for/on * fermer la porte _sur soi_ - to close the door behind oneself **J to P (jeter - punir de)** * jeter (qqch) _à_ - to throw (s-t) to * se jeter _sur qqun_ - to throw oneself upon someone * jouer _à_ - to play (a game or a sport) * jouer _de_ - to play (an instrument) * jouir _de_ - to enjoy * jurer _par_ - to swear by * laisser - to allow * laisser _pour_ (mort) - to leave for (dead) * loucher _sur_ - to ogle * manger _dans la main_ _à qqun_ - to eat out of someone’s hand * manger _dans l'assiette_ - to eat off of a plate * manquer _à_ - to miss someone * manquer _de_ - to neglect, fail to (do s-t), to lack * se méfier _de_ - to distrust, beware of * mêler _à_ - to mingle with / to join in * mériter _de_ - to deserve to * mesurer _en_ (mètres) - to measure in (meters) * mettre - to put on * mettre son espoir _dans_ - to pin one’s hopes on * se mettre _à_ - to start, set about-ing * se mettre _contre le mur_ - to stand against the wall * se mettre _en colère_ - to get mad * se mettre en route - to set out * monter - to go up, climb * se moquer _de_ - to make fun of * nier - to deny * nuire _à_ - to harm * obéir _à_ - to obey * obliger _à_ - to oblige to * obtenir _qqch_ _par_ - to obtain something by * s’occuper _de_ - to be busy with * offrir _de_ - to offer to * ordonner _à qqun_ _de faire qqch_ - to order s-o to do s-t * oser - to dare * oublier _de_ - to forget to * paraitre - to appear, seem * pardonner _à_ - to pardon, forgive * parler _à_ - to talk to * parler _de_ - to talk about * parler _pour_ - to speak on behalf of * partir _dans_ (10 minutes) - to leave in (10 minutes) * partir _dans_ (les montagnes) - to leave for (the mountains) * partir _de_ - to leave * partir _pour_ - to leave for/be off to * parvenir _à_ - to succeed in_-ing * se passer _de_ - to do without * passer du temps _à_ - to spend time -ing * payer _pour_ (qqun) - to pay for (someone) * se pencher _pour_ - to bend down in order to * penser _faire_ - to plan on, intend to * penser _à_ - to think about (imagine) * penser _de_ - to think about (opinion) * perdre du temps _à_ - to waste time -ing * permettre _à_ - to allow * (se) permettre _de_ - to allow (oneself) to * permettre _à qqun_ _de faire qqch_ - to allow s-o to do s-t * persister _à_ - to persist in -ing * persuader _de_ - to persuade to * se plaindre _de_ - to complain about * plaire _à_ - to please / be pleasing to * se plaire _à_ - to take pleasure in -ing * pleurer - to cry about * pleuvoir _dans_ (la France) - to rain in (France) * pousser (qqun) _à_ - to push/urge (s-o) to * pouvoir - to be able to * préférer - to prefer * préférer _à_ - to prefer_to/over_ to like_more than * prendre _garde_ _de_ - to be careful not to * prendre le parti _de_ - to decide to * prendre _modèle_ _sur qqun_ - to model oneself on someone * prendre _qqch_ _dans_ (une boîte) - to take s-t from (a box) * prendre _qqun_ _par_ (la main) - to take s-o by (the hand) * se préparer _à_ - to prepare oneself to * se presser _de_ - to hurry to * prétendre - to claim * prier - to pray to * prier _de_ - to beg to * profiter _à_ - to benefit / be profitable to * profiter _de_ - to make the most of * promettre _à qqun_ _de faire qqch_ - to promise s-o to do s-t * promettre _de_ - to promise to * proposer _de_ - to suggest_-ing * puer - to stink of * punir _de_ - to punish for **Q to V (questionner - voyager)** * questionner _qqun_ _sur qqch_ - to question s-o about s-t * recommencer _à_ - to begin___-ing again * recompenser _de_ - to reward for * réfléchir _à_ - to consider_-ing * réfléchir _sur_ - to think about, reflect upon * refuser _de_ - to refuse to * regarder - to watch, look at * regarder _dans_ (la boîte) - to look in (the box) * regarder _vers_ (le sud) - to face/look (south) * régner _sur_ - to reign over * regretter _de_ - to regret_-ing * rejeter une faute _sur qqun_ - to place the blame on someone * remercier _de_ - to thank for - * remercier _pour_ - to thank for_-ing * se rendre _compte_ _de_ - to realize * renoncer _à_ - to give up -ing * rentrer - to go home * répondre _à_ - to answer * résister _à_ - to resist * ressembler _à_ - to resemble * ressembler _par_ - to resemble due to * rester _sur la défensive_ - to stay on the defensive * rester _sur ses gardes_ - to keep one’s guard up * retourner - to return, go back * réussir - to make a success of, to pull off * réussir _à_ - to succeed in-ing * réussir _à l'examen_ - to pass the test * revenir - to come back * revenir _sur_ (un sujet) - to go back over (a topic) * rêver _à_ - to dream of_-ing * rêver _de_ - to dream of_-ing * rire _de_ - to laugh at * risquer - to risk (something) * risquer _de_ - to risk__-ing * sauter _sur une occasion_ - to jump at an opportunity * savoir - to know how * sembler - to seem * sentir - to feel, to smell (of) * serrer la main _à_ (qqun) - to shake hands with (s-o) * serrer _qqun_ _contre sa poitrine/son coeur_ - to hug someone * servir - to serve * servir _à_ - to be used as/for * servir _de_ - to put to use as * se servir _de_ - to make use of * signer _pour_ (quelqu’un) - to sign on behalf of (someone) * soigner - to take care of * songer _à_ - to dream / think of * s’opposer _à_ - to oppose * sortir - to go out (in order to do something) * sortir _par_ (la fenêtre) - to leave by (the window) * se soucier _de_ - to care about * souhaiter - to wish * se souvenir _de_ - to remember * subir - to be subjected to * succéder _à_ - to succeed, follow * supplier _de_ - to be / beseech * survivre _à_ - to survive * tâcher _de_ - to try to * tarder _à_ - to delay / be late in -ing * téléphoner _à qqun_ - to call * téléphoner _à qqun_ _de faire qqch_ - to call s-o to do s-t * téléphoner _pour_ (le problème) - to phone about (the problem) * tenir _à_ - to hold (s-o) to, to insist on -ing * tenir _de_ - to take after, resemble * tirer _sur_ - to shoot at * tourner _sur_ (l’église, la droite) - to turn (toward the church, right) * tourner _vers_ (la droite) - to turn to (the right) * traduire _en_ (français) - to translate into (French) * traduire _vers_ (le français) - to translate into (French) * transformer _qqch_ (en _qqch_) - to change s-t (into s-t) * travailler _pour_ - to work for * se tromper _de_ - to mistake * troquer _qqch_ _contre qqch_ - to swap something for s-t else * valoir mieux - to be preferable * se vendre _en_ (bouteilles) - to be sold in (bottles) * venir (dîner, aider) - to come (for dinner, to help) * venir _à_ - to happen to * venir _de_ - to have just (done s-t) * venir _par_ (la côte) - to come along/by (the coast) * vivre _dans_ (la misère, la peur) - to live in (poverty, fear) * vivre _de_ (ses rentes) - to live on (one’s income) * voir - to see * voter _contre_ - to vote against * voter _pour_ - to vote for * vouloir - to want * voyager _en_ (train, taxi) - to travel by (train, taxi)