French Verbs Followed Directly by an Infinitive
Certain French verbs can be followed directly by an infinitive without requiring a preposition like “à” or “de”. Below is a comprehensive explanation of these verbs, along with examples to help you understand their usage. You can download a free PDF of this lesson guide in my private French Grammar Library.
Verbs Expressing Preference, Desire, and Intention
| aimer | J’aime voyager. | I like to travel. |
| adorer | Elle adore chanter. | She loves to sing. |
| détester | Nous détestons attendre. | We hate to wait. |
| préférer | Tu préfères manger dehors. | You prefer to eat outside. |
| espérer | J’espère réussir mon examen. | I hope to pass my exam. |
| souhaiter | Tout le monde souhaite être heureux. | Everyone wishes to be happy. |
Verbs Expressing Obligation, Necessity, and Ability
| devoir | Tu dois finir ton travail. | You have to finish your work. |
| pouvoir | Nous pouvons venir demain. | We can come tomorrow. |
| savoir | Il sait nager. | He knows how to swim. |
| falloir | Il faut travailler dur. | One must work hard. |
Verbs of Willingness and Permission
| vouloir | Je veux apprendre le français. | I want to learn French. |
| laisser | Je te laisse entrer. | I am letting you enter. |
| oser | Elle ose parler en public. | She dares to speak in public. |
| entendre | Je les ai entendus chanter. | I heard them singing. |
| regarder | Nous avons regardé les enfants jouer. | We watched the children play. |
| écouter | Il écoute son frère parler. | He listens to his brother talk. |
Verbs Expressing Causation and Action
| faire causative faire | Il fait réparer sa voiture. | He is having his car repaired. |
| aller chercher | Je vais chercher mes enfants. | I am going to pick up my children. |
| venir chercher | Tu vas venir chercher tes enfants? | Are you going to come pick up your children? |
| venir | Elle vient voir sa maman. | She is coming to see her mom. |
More French Verbs Followed Directly by an Infinitive
| valoir mieux | Il vaut mieux rester ici. | It is better to stay here. |
| compter | Je compte partir demain matin. | I plan to leave tomorrow morning. |
| regretter | Je regrette devoir partir. | I regret having to leave. |
| sembler | Elle semble comprendre. | She seems to understand. |
| faillir | J’ai failli tomber. | I nearly fell. |
| jurer | Je jure dire la vérité. | I swear to tell the truth. |
| penser | Je pense pouvoir réussir. | I think I can succeed. |
| croire | Elle croit pouvoir finir aujourd’hui. | She thinks she can finish today. |
| désirer | Ils désirent voyager en été. | They desire to travel in summer. |
| prétendre | Il prétend avoir raison. | He claims to be right. |
Other lists to master:
👉Verbs + NO PREPOSITION + Infinitives
