Soutenir, supporter, autoriser, permettre: four useful French patterns

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Choose the right French verb for backing someone, tolerating noise, granting permission or making an action possible. Compare patterns and try four questions.

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In short

Use soutenir to back a person or an idea, and supporter to tolerate something. Autoriser quelqu’un à faire quelque chose grants permission; permettre à quelqu’un de faire quelque chose can grant permission or make an action possible.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A woman facilitator invites a seated participant to speak while two others listen calmly in a small French discussion circle, no papers or signs.
Taking turns lets Nora finir son explication. Illustration: Atelier

soutenirto support, back

Focus: the person or idea you stand behind

soutenir + quelqu’un / une idée

Je soutiens Nora dans son projet.
I support Nora in her project.

Nous soutenons cette proposition.
We support this proposal.

supporterto tolerate, put up with

Focus: something you find difficult to bear

supporter + quelque chose

Je ne supporte pas les interruptions.
I can’t stand interruptions.

Elle supporte mal les critiques.
She finds criticism hard to take.

autoriserto allow, authorise

Focus: permission given to someone

autoriser quelqu’un à + infinitif

L’animatrice nous autorise à poser des questions.
The facilitator allows us to ask questions.

permettreto allow, enable

Focus: permission or the means to act

permettre à quelqu’un de + infinitif

Ce résumé me permet de comprendre le débat.
This summary enables me to understand the debate.

Pendant un débat
  1. Nora

    Tu soutiens ma proposition ?

    Do you support my proposal?

  2. Samir

    Oui, mais je ne supporte pas les interruptions.

    Yes, but I can’t stand interruptions.

  3. Animatrice

    Je vous autorise à prendre la parole chacun à votre tour.

    You may take turns speaking.

  4. Nora

    Merci. Cela me permet de finir mon explication.

    Thank you. That allows me to finish my explanation.

Notice who acts. The facilitator gives permission; the speaking arrangement makes it possible to finish. Permettre also works for permission: Je vous permets de partir plus tôt. Keep the whole pattern, especially à after autoriser and de before the infinitive after permettre.

Study first: four present-tense pairs
VerbWith IWith we
soutenirje soutiensnous soutenons
supporterje supportenous supportons
autoriserj’autorisenous autorisons
permettreje permetsnous permettons

Mon frère supporte l’équipe de Lyon.

My brother supports the Lyon team.

In sport, supporter une équipe means supporting a team. Keep this useful sense alongside the tolerance sense.

  • Elle autorise les élèves de parler.Elle autorise les élèves à parler.

    Use autoriser quelqu’un à followed by an infinitive.

  • Cela me permet à comprendre.Cela me permet de comprendre.

    Use permettre à quelqu’un de. The pronoun me already names the person.

Question 1No account needed
Complete the pattern for permission.Le professeur nous autorise ___ partir.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

à. Autoriser quelqu’un à takes à before the infinitive.

Question 2No account needed
Complete the enabling pattern.Cette explication me permet ___ comprendre.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

de. The pattern is permettre à quelqu’un de faire quelque chose.

Question 3No account needed
Which sentence says that Nora backs the proposal?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Nora soutient la proposition.. Soutenir une proposition means backing that proposal.

Question 4No account needed
What does the speaker find hard to bear?Je ne supporte pas les interruptions.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Interruptions.. Ne pas supporter les interruptions means being unable to stand interruptions.

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