French Verbs Followed by À or De + Infinitive: The Complete Guide

If you have ever stopped mid-sentence wondering whether to say « j'ai oublié à fermer » or « j'ai oublié de fermer », you are certainly not alone. Choosing whether to follow a French verb with « à » or « de » before an infinitive is one of the most notorious hurdles for English speakers learning French.

In English, we largely rely on the particle "to" (to learn, to decide, to stop). In French, however, prepositions encode different nuances of intention, motion, and origin.

In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the underlying patterns, provide high-yield lists of the most essential verbs, and examine key exceptions so you can speak with natural confidence.

1. The Underlying Logic Behind « À » vs. « De »

While there is no 100% foolproof formula, these two prepositions follow recurring conceptual patterns:

  • The preposition « À » (Orientation, Effort & Forward Movement):
  • The preposition « De » (Origin, Intellectual Decision & Conclusion):

Think of « à » like an arrow pointing forward. It connects to the ideas of learning, aiming at a target, making a physical or mental effort, or engaging in a process. Think of « de » as an anchor. It frequently accompanies verbs that signify mental deliberation, moral obligation, refusal, cessation, or extraction from an action.

2. Common French Verbs Followed by « À » + Infinitive

These verbs almost always involve active direction toward a target, learning curves, or sustained involvement.

Learning and Acquisition

  • Apprendre à (to learn to): J'apprends à parler français. (I am learning to speak French.)
  • Enseigner à (to teach someone to): Elle m'enseigne à peindre. (She is teaching me how to paint.)

    • Effort, Struggle, and Progress

  • Aider à (to help to): Peux-tu m'aider à porter cette valise ? (Can you help me carry this suitcase?)
  • Arriver à (to manage to / to succeed in): Je n'arrive pas à ouvrir ce bocal. (I can't manage to open this jar.)
  • Chercher à (to attempt / seek to): Il cherche à comprendre. (He is trying to understand.)
  • Hésiter à (to hesitate to): N'hésite pas à m'appeler. (Don't hesitate to call me.)
  • Parvenir à (to manage / succeed in): Nous sommes parvenus à un accord. / à conclure l'accord. (We managed to reach the deal.)
  • Réussir à (to succeed in): Avez-vous réussi à le joindre ? (Did you manage to reach him?)

    • Getting Started and Participating

  • Commencer à (to begin to): Le cours commence à démarrer. (The class is starting to get underway.)
  • S'attendre à (to expect to): Je m'attends à réussir. (I expect to succeed.)
  • Se mettre à (to start / begin): Elle s'est mise à courir. (She started running.)
  • S'amuser à (to have fun doing): Les enfants s'amusent à dessiner. (The kids are having fun drawing.)
  • Tenir à (to care deeply about / insist on): Je tiens à être ponctuel. (I make a point of being on time.)

    • 3. Common French Verbs Followed by « De » + Infinitive

Verbs taking « de » often revolve around choosing, avoiding, stopping, or communicating instructions.

Decisions, Agreements, and Refusals

  • Accepter de (to agree to): Il a accepté de venir. (He agreed to come.)
  • Choisir de (to choose to): Nous choisissons de voyager en train. (We choose to travel by train.)
  • Décider de (to decide to): Elle a décidé de démissionner. (She decided to quit.)
  • Promettre de (to promise to): Promets-moi d'être sage. (Promise me you'll behave.)
  • Refuser de (to refuse to): Ils refusent de coopérer. (They refuse to cooperate.)

    • Ceasing, Avoiding, and Failing

  • Arrêter de / Cesser de (to stop doing): Arrête de faire du bruit ! (Stop making noise!)
  • Éviter de (to avoid doing): Évitez de consommer trop de sucre. (Avoid eating too much sugar.)
  • Finir de (to finish doing): J'ai fini de nettoyer. (I finished cleaning.)
  • Oublier de (to forget to): J'ai oublié d'éteindre la lumière. (I forgot to turn off the light.)

    • Requests, Permissions, and Emotional States

  • Demander de (to ask someone to): Je te demande de m'écouter. (I am asking you to listen to me.)
  • Permettre de (to allow / enable to): Cet outil permet de gagner du temps. (This tool saves time.)
  • Avoir peur de (to be afraid of): Il a peur de tomber. (He is afraid of falling.)
  • Regretter de (to regret doing): Je regrette d'avoir menti. (I regret lying.)

    • 4. Nuanced Verbs: Meaning Changes with « À » vs. « De »

A few common verbs shift their entire meaning depending on the preposition you select:

1. Décider

  • Décider de + inf. = To make a conscious choice (J'ai décidé d'étudier le droit).
  • Se décider à + inf. = To finally take the leap after hesitating (Je me suis enfin décidé à postuler).

2. Manquer

  • Manquer de + inf. = To come close to an accident (J'ai manqué de glisser - I almost slipped).
  • Manquer à + noun/inf. = To fail one's duty or promise (Il a manqué à ses devoirs).

3. Demander

  • Demander à + inf. = The speaker wants to do the action (Je demande à partir - I am asking to leave).
  • Demander à quelqu'un de + inf. = The speaker asks someone else to act (Je demande à Paul de partir - I ask Paul to leave).

> Note on « Continuer »: > Both continuer à and continuer de are grammatically correct in modern French. Continuer à is standard and widespread in daily spoken communication, while continuer de adds a slightly more literary tone.

5. Beware of Verbs with NO Preposition (Direct Infinitive)

Avoid the temptation to slip a preposition where none belongs. English speakers often add unnecessary prepositions to these direct verbs:

  • Semi-auxiliary / Modal verbs: vouloir (to want), pouvoir (can/to be able), devoir (must/to have to).
  • Correct: Je veux apprendre. (Incorrect: Je veux d'apprendre.)
  • Verbs of preference: aimer (to like), adorer (to love), préférer (to prefer), détester (to hate).
  • Correct: J'adore cuisiner. (Incorrect: J'adore de cuisiner.)
  • Verbs of movement: aller (to go), venir (to come).
  • Correct: Je vais faire du vélo.

    • 6. How to Master These Verbs Faster

1. Never learn a verb in isolation: Always memorize the construction as a single unit (« refuser de », « réussir à »).

2. Group by semantic field: Associate mental decisions and endings with de, and goals, efforts, or practices with à.

3. Write personalized drill sentences: Create 3 personal sentences for each new prepositional verb. Connecting words to your real life cements them into active recall.