📝 French Basic Grammar: À vs De Before a French Infinitive

When learning French, one confusing point is knowing whether to use à or de before an infinitive verb. Some verbs require à + infinitive, others require de + infinitive, and some take the infinitive directly.

This guide will help you understand the rules and give you the most common verbs with à and de.

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1. Reminder: What Is an Infinitive?

The infinitive is the basic form of the verb (to + verb in English):

• parler → to speak

• manger → to eat

• aller → to go

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2. Verbs Followed by à + Infinitive

Some verbs in French must be followed by à before another verb.

📌 Common Verbs + à + Infinitive:

• aider à → to help (to)

• apprendre à → to learn (to)

• commencer à → to begin (to)

• réussir à → to succeed in (doing)

• s’habituer à → to get used to

✅ Examples:

• Il m’a aidé à finir le projet. → He helped me finish the project.

• Elle apprend à conduire. → She is learning to drive.

• Nous avons commencé à étudier. → We started studying.

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3. Verbs Followed by de + Infinitive

Other verbs require de before an infinitive.

📌 Common Verbs + de + Infinitive:

• arrêter de → to stop (doing)

• choisir de → to choose (to)

• décider de → to decide (to)

• essayer de → to try (to)

• oublier de → to forget (to)

• refuser de → to refuse (to)

• se souvenir de → to remember (to)

✅ Examples:

• Il a décidé de partir. → He decided to leave.

• Tu devrais arrêter de fumer. → You should stop smoking.

• Nous essayons de comprendre. → We are trying to understand.

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4. Verbs That Take the Infinitive Directly (No à / de)

Some verbs are followed directly by an infinitive without à or de.

📌 Common Verbs:

• aimer → to like

• vouloir → to want

• pouvoir → can / to be able to

• devoir → must / to have to

• espérer → to hope

✅ Examples:

• J’aime voyager. → I like to travel.

• Elle veut partir. → She wants to leave.

• Nous pouvons venir. → We can come.

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5. How to Remember?

Unfortunately, there’s no universal rule — you need to learn verbs with their prepositions. A good strategy is to always memorize the verb with its preposition (e.g., commencer à, arrêter de).

👉 Tip: Make flashcards with verbs and their correct prepositions.

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6. Examples Side by Side

• Il m’aide à comprendre. → He helps me understand.

• J’ai choisi de rester à la maison. → I chose to stay at home.

• Elle veut voyager. → She wants to travel.

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✅ Quick Recap

• Some verbs need à + infinitive (aider à, apprendre à, commencer à…).

• Some verbs need de + infinitive (arrêter de, décider de, essayer de…).

• Some verbs take the infinitive directly (aimer, vouloir, pouvoir, devoir, espérer).

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🎯 Practice Exercise

Choose à, de, or nothing:

1. Il a commencé ___ étudier.

2. Elle veut ___ apprendre le français.

3. Nous essayons ___ comprendre.

4. Tu as oublié ___ fermer la porte.

5. Il m’aide ___ trouver mon chemin.

Answers:

1. à

2. (nothing)

3. de

4. de

5. à

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Conclusion

Using à vs de before a French infinitive is one of the key challenges in French grammar. While there isn’t a single rule that works for all verbs, with practice and memorization of common patterns, you’ll quickly become more confident.

👉 Pro tip: Keep a notebook with verbs you learn, always writing them with their preposition. Over time, it will become automatic.

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TAGS: French à vs de infinitive, verbs followed by à or de in French, French grammar infinitives, French verbs with prepositions, beginner French grammar rules

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