Conseiller or recommander? Give advice with the right pattern
Learn conseiller and recommander with a thing, a person and an action. Compare natural alternatives and practise the à/de patterns in a short quiz.
In short
Conseiller and recommander both work for recommending a choice: Je te conseille ce cours and Je te recommande ce cours. For an action, use conseiller/recommander à quelqu’un de faire quelque chose. Their strength comes from the whole sentence and situation.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
What is the difference between conseiller and recommander?
conseillerto advise; to recommend
Focus: offering advice or suggesting an option
conseiller quelque chose à quelqu’un
Je conseille ce cours à Lina.
I recommend this course to Lina.
Je lui conseille de comparer les horaires.
I advise her to compare the times.
recommanderto recommend
Focus: putting forward a choice or action
recommander quelque chose à quelqu’un
Je recommande ce cours à Lina.
I recommend this course to Lina.
Je lui recommande de comparer les horaires.
I recommend that she compare the times.
Both verbs fit these examples. Recommander can sound emphatic in a particular exchange, but it also appears in an ordinary friendly suggestion. Conseiller can be firm too: Je te conseille vivement de vérifier la date. Here, vivement adds emphasis.
How do you use conseiller with a person and an action?
| Pattern | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| conseiller quelque chose à quelqu’un | Je conseille cette formation à Sami. | I recommend this training course to Sami. |
| conseiller à quelqu’un de + infinitif | Je conseille à Sami de s’inscrire. | I advise Sami to enrol. |
| recommander quelque chose à quelqu’un | Je recommande cette formation à Sami. | I recommend this training course to Sami. |
| recommander à quelqu’un de + infinitif | Je recommande à Sami de s’inscrire. | I recommend that Sami enrol. |
| lui + conseiller / recommander de | Je lui recommande de s’inscrire. | I recommend that he enrol. |
An option, a reason and a reply
- Lina
Tu me conseilles quel cours pour travailler la conversation ?
Which course do you recommend for practising conversation?
- Sami
Je te recommande celui du jeudi. Il y a plus de temps pour parler en petits groupes.
I recommend the Thursday one. There is more time to speak in small groups.
- Lina
Le jeudi, je travaille tard.
I work late on Thursdays.
- Sami
Alors, je te conseille de demander s’il y a un groupe le samedi.
Then I advise you to ask whether there is a Saturday group.
Can you recommander someone in French?
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je conseille Paul dans ses choix professionnels. | I advise Paul about his career choices. |
| Je recommande Paul pour ce poste. | I recommend Paul for this job. |
With conseiller Paul, Paul receives advice. With recommander Paul pour ce poste, Paul is the candidate you put forward. Compare Je recommande ce poste à Paul: now the job is the recommended option, and Paul receives the suggestion.