{"id":22350,"date":"2015-08-14T00:01:43","date_gmt":"2015-08-13T22:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=22350"},"modified":"2017-10-23T16:22:54","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T14:22:54","slug":"french-verbs-with-no-prepositions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/french-verbs-with-no-prepositions\/","title":{"rendered":"French Verbs with No Prepositions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Continuing with the verbs and prepositions series (miss the previous posts? here<\/a> you go<\/a>!), this week I\u2019m going to be discussing an aspect that is right up the alley of those who translate word for word. Translating word for word can be dangerous, especially if you\u2019re trying to use an idiom, but with verb phrases, your sentence might sound a little wacky (but generally comprehensible) if you don\u2019t use the correct preposition.<\/p>\n

In my previous posts, I discussed using \u00e0 <\/strong>and de <\/strong>with certain verbs. They\u2019re often needed after the verb but before either an infinitive, indirect object, or direct object. Certain verbs in French, however, don\u2019t have a preposition where we would have one in English. For example:<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0J\u2019aime regarder \u00e0 la lune. \u00a0<\/strong>
\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong>I like to look at the moon.<\/p>\n

A person translating word for word from English would throw in the preposition \u00e0 <\/strong>(at) after the verb to create a \u2018French equivalent\u2019 of our \u201cto look at.\u201d However, the verb regarder <\/strong>means to look at. Adding the \u00e0 <\/strong>is useless and incorrect. \u00a0The correct form of the sentence above, then, is simply J\u2019aime regarder la lune<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

To avoid making these mistakes, I\u2019m providing you with 2 different lists. Bonne m\u00e9morisation<\/strong> !<\/p>\n

Verb with no preposition + noun<\/strong>
\nThe verbs listed below do not require a preposition before the noun that follows it. It\u2019s the opposite of the English equivalents below.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Vincent a soign\u00e9 son chat malade.
\n<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Vincent took care of\/cared for his sick cat.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll note that the French sentence doesn\u2019t have a preposition with soigner<\/strong> while the English sentence does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
approuver<\/strong><\/td>\nto approve of<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
attendre<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto wait for<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
chercher<\/strong><\/td>\nto look for<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
demander<\/strong><\/td>\nto ask for<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
devoir<\/strong><\/td>\nto owe (something) to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00e9couter (la radio)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto listen to (the radio…)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
envoyer chercher <\/strong><\/td>\nto send for<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
essayer<\/strong><\/td>\nto try on<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
grignoter<\/strong><\/td>\nto snack on<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
inviter<\/strong><\/td>\nto invite (someone) to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
mettre<\/strong><\/td>\nto put on<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
payer<\/strong><\/td>\nto pay for<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pr\u00e9f\u00e9rer<\/strong><\/td>\nto prefer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
prier<\/strong><\/td>\nto pray to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
puer<\/strong><\/td>\nto stink of<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
regarder<\/strong><\/td>\nto look at<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sentir\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto smell of<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
soigner \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto take care of<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
subir\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/td>\nto be subjected to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
vouloir<\/strong><\/td>\nto want to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Verb with no preposition + infinitive<\/strong>
\nThe list below contains verbs that do not require a preposition when followed by an infinitive. Keep in mind that this list is a bit different from the previous list \u2013 not all of these verbs require a preposition in English!<\/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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
adorer <\/strong><\/td>\nto adore<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
aimer<\/strong><\/td>\nto like<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
aller<\/strong><\/td>\nto go, to be going to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
compter<\/strong><\/td>\nto expect to \/ intend to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
croire<\/strong><\/td>\nto think<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
courir<\/strong><\/td>\nto run<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
descendre<\/strong><\/td>\nto go down\/get off something<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
d\u00e9sirer <\/strong><\/td>\nto want<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
d\u00e9tester<\/strong><\/td>\nto hate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
devoir<\/strong><\/td>\nto have to, be obliged to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00e9couter<\/strong><\/td>\nto listen to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
entendre<\/strong><\/td>\nto hear<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
entrer<\/strong><\/td>\nto enter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
envoyer<\/strong><\/td>\nto send<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
esp\u00e9rer<\/strong><\/td>\nto hope<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00eatre cens\u00e9<\/strong><\/td>\nto be supposed to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
faillir<\/strong><\/td>\nto almost do something<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
falloir<\/strong><\/td>\nto be necessary to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
s’imaginer<\/strong><\/td>\nto imagine<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
laisser<\/strong><\/td>\nto allow<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
monter<\/strong><\/td>\nto go up, climb<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nier<\/strong><\/td>\nto deny<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
oser<\/strong><\/td>\nto dare<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
para\u00eetre<\/strong><\/td>\nto appear<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
partir<\/strong><\/td>\nto leave<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
penser<\/strong><\/td>\nto plan on<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pouvoir<\/strong><\/td>\nto be able to<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pr\u00e9f\u00e9rer<\/strong><\/td>\nto prefer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
regarder<\/strong><\/td>\nto watch<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
retourner<\/strong><\/td>\nto return, go back<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
revenir <\/strong><\/td>\nto come back<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
savoir<\/strong><\/td>\nto know how<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sentir<\/strong><\/td>\nto feel; to smell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sortir<\/strong><\/td>\nto go out<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
souhaiter<\/strong><\/td>\nto wish<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
voir<\/strong><\/td>\nto see<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
vouloir <\/strong><\/td>\nto want<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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

Continuing with the verbs and prepositions series (miss the previous posts? here you go!), this week I\u2019m going to be discussing an aspect that is right up the alley of those who translate word for word. Translating word for word can be dangerous, especially if you\u2019re trying to use an idiom, but with verb phrases…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":22363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2419,165],"class_list":["post-22350","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grammar","tag-preposition","tag-verb"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/125"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22350"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22350\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28818,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22350\/revisions\/28818"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}