Common mistakes
French infinitive or conjugated verb? Six patterns to fix
Choose French infinitives after modals and prepositions, then compare je veux partir with je veux qu’elle parte. Six fixes and four questions.
- B1
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- Examples and fixes
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In short
After pouvoir, vouloir or devoir, the next verb usually stays infinitive: Nous pouvons attendre. After vouloir, a que clause with its own subject uses a conjugated verb: Je veux que Léa attende. Learn the whole pattern, including any à, de or que.
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An infinitive names the action: attendre, lire, partir. A conjugated form carries person and tense or mood: nous attendons, elle lit, qu’elle parte. The two forms often work together in one sentence.
- Je peux attendre.Je peux attends.The modal is conjugated; the next verb is infinitive.
Nous pouvons attendre encore cinq minutes.We can wait another five minutes.
Changing je to nous changes peux to pouvons. Attendre stays the same.
- Je commence à comprendre.Je commence comprendre.The first verb selects a preposition before the infinitive.
Elle commence à comprendre la règle.She is beginning to understand the rule.
Keep the preposition with the verb: commencer à faire quelque chose.
- Je décide de partir.Je décide à partir.This verb selects a different preposition before the infinitive.
Nous décidons de rester.We decide to stay.
The first verb selects the link. Compare commencer à and décider de.
- Je veux que Léa parte.Je veux que Léa partir.The subordinate clause has its own conjugated verb.
Je veux que Léa attende ici.I want Léa to wait here.
English uses “to wait”; French uses que Léa attende, with a subjunctive.
- Je viens pour apprendre.Je viens pour apprends.A preposition can introduce purpose with an infinitive.
Nous nous retrouvons pour discuter.We meet to talk.
Here the same people meet and talk. With another subject, use a clause such as pour que tu comprennes.
- Lire me détend.Lis me détend.An infinitive can be the subject of a sentence.
Lire le soir me détend.Reading in the evening relaxes me.
Lire is the subject; détend is the conjugated main verb. English “-ing” can correspond to a French infinitive.
One person leaving, or someone else?
Je veux partir.I want to leave.
Focus: I want it; I am the person leaving.
Je veux que Léa parte.I want Léa to leave.
Focus: I want it; Léa is the person leaving.
This subject contrast explains the two vouloir patterns. Other constructions organise their actors differently: Je vois Léa partir means “I see Léa leave”. Partir is infinitive although Léa is the one leaving. Follow the governing verb’s construction.