{"id":22319,"date":"2015-08-06T23:43:02","date_gmt":"2015-08-06T21:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=22319"},"modified":"2017-10-23T16:31:05","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T14:31:05","slug":"using-a-with-french-verbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/using-a-with-french-verbs\/","title":{"rendered":"Using \u201c\u00e0\u201d with French Verbs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Those mean ol’ prepositions are back! In a previous post<\/a>, I discussed how prepositions were a problem for me and many others when starting to learn a language. There’s no rhyme or reason as to why certain prepositions are used, and if you use the wrong one, the whole meaning can change. Think about it – does une pom-pom girl <\/strong>(cheerleader) cheer her team ON or cheer her team UP?<\/p>\n

French’s 2 big prepositions with verbs are de<\/strong> and \u00e0 <\/strong>(and yes, some verbs can take either one, but that’s for another day). In the last post, I wrote about using de<\/strong> with verbs. \u00a0Today we’re going to explore verbs that require \u00e0<\/strong>. Again…no real rules as to why it’s this way. Just gotta memorize them!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Verb + \u00e0 + infinitive<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s very common in French that if you want to use verbs in a row, they may need to be separated with a preposition.<\/p>\n

Malgr\u00e9 ses probl\u00e8mes de sant\u00e9, il continue \u00e0 fumer. <\/strong>
\nDespite his health problems, he continues to smoke.<\/p>\n

Notice that \u00e0 <\/strong>is slapped between continuer <\/strong>and fumer<\/strong>. Why? Continuer <\/strong>requires the preposition \u00e0 <\/strong>to be placed before an infinitive (quoi?? <\/strong>an unconjugated verb) that follows it. Below I’ve listed some common verbs that require \u00e0<\/strong>. Please note that qqch<\/strong> is shorthand for “quelque chose<\/strong>” (something) \u00a0and\u00a0qqn <\/strong>is shorthand for “quelqu’un<\/strong>” (someone).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
aider \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto help<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
s’amuser \u00e0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\nto have fun __-ing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
apprendre \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto learn how to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
s’appr\u00eater \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto get ready to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
arriver \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto succeed in ___-ing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
avoir \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto have to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
chercher \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto attempt to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
commencer \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto begin to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
continuer \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto continue to \/___-ing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
encourager qqn \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto encourage someone to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
s’habituer \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto get used to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
h\u00e9siter \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto hesitate to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
s’int\u00e9resser \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto be interested in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
inviter (qqn) \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto invite (someone) to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
obliger (qqn) \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto force (someone) to do something<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
passer du temps \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto spend time ___-ing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
se pr\u00e9parer \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto prepare oneself to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
recommencer \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto begin ___-ing again<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
renoncer \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto give up doing something<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
r\u00e9fl\u00e9chir \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto consider ___-ing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
r\u00e9ussir \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto succeed in ___-ing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
r\u00eaver \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto dream of ___-ing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Verb + \u00e0 + indirect object<\/strong>
\nUn complement d\u2019objet indirect<\/strong> (an \u00a0indirect object) is the person or thing that to or for whom something is done.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0J\u2019ai\u00a0envoy\u00e9 une carte \u00e0 ma m\u00e8re.
\n<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I sent my mother a card.<\/p>\n

Who received the card? Ma m\u00e8re.<\/strong> This is the indirect object.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0J’ai envoy\u00e9 un texto \u00e0 Marc, mais il n’a pas r\u00e9pondu.
\n<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I sent a text to Marc, but he didn’t respond.<\/p>\n

Who got my text message? Marc.<\/strong> This is the indirect object.<\/p>\n

This example is pretty easy for English speakers since we also say “to send to someone,” but some of these verbs in the list below can be a bit problematic. \u00c0<\/strong>, we’re taught, means to or at. Why on earth do you borrow a book TO someone? Or taste TO something? It’s natural to wonder these things when you’re first starting to learn a language because it’s what we’re used to. However, we have to keep in mind that French and English aren’t the same thing. Take a look at the list below and commencez \u00e0 la m\u00e9moriser\u00a0<\/strong>(start to memorize it)!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
acheter \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto buy from<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
assister \u00e0 qqch\u00a0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto attend (something – class, meeting,…)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
conseiller \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto advise<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
croire \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto believe something<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
demander qqch \u00e0 qqn<\/strong><\/td>\nto ask someone something<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
d\u00e9sob\u00e9ir \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto disobey<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
dire \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto say\/tell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
donner qqch \u00e0 qqun<\/strong><\/td>\nto give someone something<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
emprunter qqch \u00e0 qqn <\/strong><\/td>\nto borrow something from someone<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00eatre \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto belong to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
faire attention \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto pay attention to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
go\u00fbter \u00e0 quelque chose<\/strong><\/td>\nto taste something<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
s’int\u00e9resser \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto be interested in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
jouer \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto play (game or sport)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
manquer \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto miss someone<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
s’opposer \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto oppose<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pardonner \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto forgive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
parler \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto talk to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
penser \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto think of \/ about<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
plaire \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto please<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
profiter \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto benefit \/ take advantage of something<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
r\u00e9fl\u00e9chir \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto reflect upon \/ consider<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto answer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ressembler \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto resemble<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
songer \u00e0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto dream of<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
t\u00e9l\u00e9phoner \u00e0<\/strong><\/td>\nto call<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
voler qqch \u00e0 qqn <\/strong><\/td>\nto steal something from someone<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Those mean ol’ prepositions are back! In a previous post, I discussed how prepositions were a problem for me and many others when starting to learn a language. There’s no rhyme or reason as to why certain prepositions are used, and if you use the wrong one, the whole meaning can change. Think about it…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":22325,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[14,348584,55189,55193],"class_list":["post-22319","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grammar","tag-a","tag-complement-dobjet-indirect","tag-grammaire-francaise","tag-verbe"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t