Il m'a dit du faire - French Mistake

Mistakes will always be made in French, and now you can learn from them.

Wrong: Il m'a dit du faire

Right: Il m'a dit de le faire

Explanation: When the preposition de is followed by the definite article le or les, they are obliged to contract into du or des:

   "Le livre de le garçon" > Le livre du garçon (The boy's book).

However, when de is followed by the direct object le or les, they cannot contract:

   "He told me to do it" = Il m'a dit de le faire (not "Il m'a dit du faire").

Related lessons
   * Definite articles
   * Direct objects
   * Contractions
   * Grammar glossary