French Verbs with Prepositions
Learn which French verbs need prepositions
Lesson | Test
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.
De and à are by far the most common French prepositions for verbs. Because there are so many, I divided them into those that are followed by an infinitive and those that are followed by an 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
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 - see my lesson on the passive infinitive.
While à and de are the most common prepositions required after verbs, there are others
as well:
And finally, a number of French verbs don't require a preposition whereas their English equivalents do:
Some French learners find it helpful to memorize lists of verbs by the prepositions they
require, as provided above, while others prefer a master list of
alphabetized verbs.
Grammar glossary
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