A1 · शुरुआती चैप्टर 30

Verbs Followed by Infinitives

6 कुल नियम
63 उदाहरण
9 मिनट
इस अध्याय के नियम त्वरित अभ्यास

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of linking past actions to infinitives to speak natural French.

  • Distinguish between past participles that agree and those that stay fixed.
  • Identify when an infinitive changes the agreement rules.
  • Apply the special 'stubborn' rule for verbs like faire and laisser.
Link your verbs with confidence and flair!

तुम क्या सीखोगे

Hey there, French language explorer! Ready to level up your speaking game? This chapter is your secret weapon for sounding super natural when you talk about things that have happened. We're diving into the fascinating world of French past participles when they team up with another action verb (an infinitive). You know how sometimes past participles change their endings? Well, it gets a little tricky when there’s an infinitive right after it. But don't you worry! We'll discover exactly WHEN they need to agree (like entendu chanter – *heard singing*) and, just as importantly, WHEN they absolutely don't (like with fait or laisser followed by an infinitive, where they're super stubborn and never change!). We’ll also peek into those tricky cases where the infinitive is implied, giving you full control over verbs like pu, voulu, and «dû.» Imagine you're chatting with a friend about a movie you *saw them running* in, or explaining that you *made someone laugh*. You'll learn the precise rules that make your sentences grammatically perfect, whether you're describing what you *heard a bird sing* or explaining how you *let the situation unfold*. By the end of this chapter, you won't just *know* these rules; you'll *feel* them! You'll be able to confidently construct complex sentences using past participles and infinitives, avoiding common beginner mistakes, and making your French sound incredibly fluent and natural. Let's make those verbs sing!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: correctly identify whether a past participle needs an agreement or remains invariant when followed by an infinitive.

अध्याय गाइड

Overview

Welcome to this essential French grammar guide! Understanding verbs followed by infinitives is a crucial step in mastering the language, especially at the A1 level. Infinitives, the base form of a verb (like to sing or to eat), often follow other verbs in French, creating a variety of sentence structures.
This chapter will demystify these constructions, showing you how to express actions that are perceived, caused, or allowed. We’ll explore how sometimes the past participle of the main verb needs to agree with something, and sometimes it doesn't. Don't worry if this sounds a little complex at first; we'll break it down with clear examples and practical tips to ensure you can use these structures confidently.
This chapter focuses on specific scenarios where an infinitive directly follows another verb. We'll look at situations involving perception verbs (like *voir* - to see, *entendre* - to hear) and how they interact with past participles, particularly when the subject of the main verb is also the one performing the action of the infinitive. You'll learn about the subtle but important rules of agreement, or lack thereof, in these cases.
We will also cover common verbs that often appear with infinitives, such as *faire* (to make/do) and *laisser* (to let), and how their usage can change the meaning of a sentence. By the end of this guide, you'll be equipped to understand and use these common verb-infinitive combinations, making your French more natural and fluent.

How This Grammar Works

In French, when one verb is followed by another verb that expresses the action being perceived, caused, or allowed, the second verb is usually in its infinitive form. For example,
I see him run
becomes
Je le vois courir.
Here, *vois* is the main verb, and *courir* is the infinitive describing what the subject (*le* - him) is doing. This is a fundamental structure that allows for more complex sentence building.
A key point of confusion for learners is past participle agreement when these infinitive constructions are used in compound tenses (like the passé composé). We will explore how the past participle of the *first* verb (the auxiliary verb) agrees with the direct object if the direct object is placed before the verb, but only under specific conditions related to the infinitive. For instance, if you saw girls running, the past participle of *voir* would agree with girls. We will also clarify when no agreement is necessary, particularly when the direct object is actually the object of the infinitive itself.
Understanding these nuances will greatly improve the accuracy of your written and spoken French.
French Past Participle Agreement with Infinitives (entendu chanter)
When a verb of perception (like *voir*, *entendre*, *écouter*, *regarder*) is used in a compound tense (e.g., passé composé) and is followed by an infinitive, the past participle of the perception verb agrees with the direct object (COD) *if* that direct object is placed before the verb. This means if the person or thing being perceived is mentioned before the verb, you need to adjust the ending of the past participle.
Consider the case of hearing someone sing. If you heard a woman sing, and the direct object her (la) comes before the verb *entendre*, the past participle *entendu* will agree with *la* (feminine singular). So, instead of "J'ai entendu chanter, it becomes Je l'ai entendue chanter." The extra 'e' on *entendue* shows agreement with *l'* (referring to *la femme*).
French Past Participle Agreement with Infinitive (vus courir vs. vu construire)
This rule applies when the direct object (COD) is performing the action of the infinitive. If you saw someone running, and someone (le/la) is before the verb *voir*, the past participle *vu* agrees with that object. For example, if you saw a boy running, "Je l'ai vu courir.
If you saw a girl running,
Je l'ai vue courir." The agreement happens because *l'* refers to the boy or girl who is doing the running.
However, if the infinitive is a transitive verb (one that takes its own direct object), and that object is placed *after* the infinitive, then there is no agreement with the direct object of the main verb. For example, if you saw a house being built, the infinitive is *construire*. The direct object of *construire* is the house (*la maison*).
If you say "Je l'ai vu construire," *vu* does not agree with *l'* (the house) because the house is the object of *construire*, not *voir*. The construction is being done *to* the house.
Past Participle with Implied Infinitive (pu, voulu, dû)
Certain verbs, particularly *pouvoir* (to be able to), *vouloir* (to want), and *devoir* (to have to/must), have past participles (*pu*, *voulu*, *dû*) that sometimes appear without an explicit infinitive following them. In these cases, the past participle often agrees with the direct object if it precedes the verb. This happens when the object is the thing that was able to be, wanted, or had to be done.
For example, if someone asked for two books and you only had one, you might say, "Je n'ai pu en prendre qu'un." Here, *pu* doesn't agree because *en* is an indirect object. However, if you had wanted to eat some apples, and you only ate one, you could say, "Je n'ai voulu en manger qu'une." The past participle *voulu* agrees with *une* (the apple) because *une* is the direct object of the implied infinitive *manger*.
The 'Unchangeable' Fait (Faire + Infinitive)
The verb *faire* followed by an infinitive is a very common construction in French, often translating to
to make someone do something
or
to have something done.
When *faire* is used in this way, its past participle (*fait*) generally does not agree with the direct object, even if that object is placed before the verb. This is because the object is considered to be the recipient of the action of the infinitive, not the direct object of *faire* itself in the same way as with perception verbs.
For instance, if you made your children clean their room, you would say, "J'ai fait nettoyer leur chambre à mes enfants.
Even if you wanted to say
I made them clean their room" (*Je les ai fait nettoyer leur chambre*), the past participle *fait* remains invariable. The children are the indirect object of *faire* in this construction, and the direct object of *nettoyer*.
Letting Things Happen: The Verb 'Laisser' with Infinitives
Similar to *faire*, the verb *laisser* (to let, to allow) followed by an infinitive generally does not agree in its past participle (*laissé*) with a preceding direct object. The direct object is considered to be the one being allowed to do something, or the thing being allowed to happen.
For example, if you let your dog go outside, you would say, "J'ai laissé sortir mon chien.
If you wanted to say
I let them go, you would say, Je les ai laissés sortir." Ah, wait! Here is an exception to the general rule. *Laisser* *can* agree when the direct object is a person or thing that is being allowed to *do* something.
So, in
Je les ai laissés sortir,
the *e* on *laissés* agrees with *les* because *les* are the ones doing the *sortir*. This is a nuance to remember.
No Agreement: When the Object Belongs to the Infinitive (Pas d'accord : COD objet de l'infinitif)
This rule reinforces a point made earlier. When the direct object (COD) of the main verb is actually the direct object of the infinitive that follows, the past participle of the main verb does not agree with that object. The object is owned by the infinitive's action.
Think about seeing a book being read. If you saw a book being read, you would say, "J'ai vu lire le livre." Here, *vu* does not agree with *le livre* because *le livre* is the object of *lire*, not *voir*. The action of reading is performed *on* the book.
If you say, "Je l'ai vu lire," where *l'* refers to the book, *vu* still does not agree because the book is the object of *lire*.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: "J'ai vu les filles courues."
✓ Correct: "J'ai vu les filles courir."
*Explanation:* The infinitive *courir* should be used here, not the past participle. Agreement only happens with perception verbs in compound tenses when the infinitive is also a past participle, which is not the case here.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Je les ai fait manger.
✓ Correct:
Je les ai fait manger.
*Explanation:* The past participle *fait* is invariable when *faire* is followed by an infinitive, even if the direct object *les* is placed before the verb.

Real Conversations

A

A

J'ai vu Marie chanter hier. (I saw Marie sing yesterday.)
B

B

Ah oui ? Je l'ai entendue chanter aussi ! (Oh yes? I heard her sing too!)
A

A

Tu as fait réparer ta voiture ? (Did you have your car repaired?)
B

B

Oui, je l'ai fait réparer ce matin. (Yes, I had it repaired this morning.)

Quick FAQ

Q

When does the past participle agree with the direct object when an infinitive follows?

The past participle of the main verb (like *voir*, *entendre*) agrees with the direct object if that object is placed before the verb AND is the one performing the action of the infinitive.

Q

Is there ever agreement with *faire* + infinitive?

Generally, no. The past participle *fait* is invariable in this construction.

Cultural Context

In French culture, the precise use of verb agreement is highly valued. Mastering these rules, even the seemingly complex ones involving infinitives, demonstrates a strong command of the language and a respect for its grammatical structure. It allows for clearer and more nuanced communication, which is appreciated in all forms of interaction.

मुख्य उदाहरण (8)

1

Les musiciens que j'ai `entendus` jouer au métro étaient géniaux.

The musicians I heard playing in the subway were great.

फ़्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल और इनफिनिटिव की सहमति (गाते हुए सुना)
2

C'est la vidéo que j'ai `vu` circuler sur TikTok ce matin.

This is the video I saw circulating on TikTok this morning.

फ़्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल और इनफिनिटिव की सहमति (गाते हुए सुना)
3

Les musiciens que j'ai entendus jouer étaient géniaux.

जिन संगीतकारों को मैंने बजाते सुना, वे कमाल के थे।

इन्फिनिटिव के साथ फ्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल समझौता (vus courir vs. vu construire)
4

La chanson que j'ai entendu chanter par la foule.

वो गाना जो मैंने भीड़ को गाते हुए सुना।

इन्फिनिटिव के साथ फ्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल समझौता (vus courir vs. vu construire)
5

J'ai fait réparer mon écran de smartphone.

मैंने अपने स्मार्टफोन की स्क्रीन ठीक करवाई।

अपरिवर्तनीय 'Fait' (Faire + Infinitive)
6

La pizza que j'ai fait livrer était froide.

जो पिज्जा मैंने मंगवाया था वो ठंडा था।

अपरिवर्तनीय 'Fait' (Faire + Infinitive)
7

J'ai laissé partir mes amis.

मैंने अपने दोस्तों को जाने दिया।

चीजों को होने देना: इनफिनिटिव के साथ 'Laisser' क्रिया
8

Tu as laissé tomber ton portable ?

क्या तुमने अपना फोन गिरा दिया?

चीजों को होने देना: इनफिनिटिव के साथ 'Laisser' क्रिया

टिप्स और ट्रिक्स (4)

💡

The Agent Test

Always ask: 'Is the object doing the action?' If yes, agree.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: फ़्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल और इनफिनिटिव की सहमति (गाते हुए सुना)
🎯

'Faire' वाला शॉर्टकट

अगर 'faire' के बाद कोई और verb आए, तो आँख बंद करके उसे 'fait' ही रहने दो। जैसे:
Je les ai fait rire.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: इन्फिनिटिव के साथ फ्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल समझौता (vus courir vs. vu construire)
🎯

इंग्लिश वाला हैक

अगर आप वाक्य के अंत में 'to do' या 'to take' जोड़ सकते हैं, तो फ्रेंच शब्द में कोई बदलाव मत करना: "J'ai fait ce que j'ai pu."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: निहित इनफिनिटिव के साथ पास्ट पार्टिसिपल (pu, voulu, dû)
⚠️

बदलाव का जाल

लिखते समय लोग अक्सर 'e' या 's' जोड़ने की गलती करते हैं। हमेशा चेक करो कि क्या उसके बाद कोई verb है, जैसे: "La lettre que j'ai fait écrire."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: अपरिवर्तनीय 'Fait' (Faire + Infinitive)

मुख्य शब्दावली (5)

entendu heard fait made/done laissé let/left voulu wanted pu been able to

Real-World Preview

music

The Concert

Review Summary

  • COD + avoir + PP (agree)
  • Fait + infinitive

सामान्य गलतियाँ

The songs aren't hearing, they are being sung. The object belongs to the infinitive.

Wrong: Les chansons que j'ai entendues chanter.
सही: Les chansons que j'ai entendu chanter.

Fait before an infinitive never agrees.

Wrong: La maison que j'ai faite construire.
सही: La maison que j'ai fait construire.

Voulu with an implied infinitive does not agree.

Wrong: Elle a voulue manger.
सही: Elle a voulu manger.

इस अध्याय के नियम (6)

1

फ़्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल और इनफिनिटिव की सहमति (गाते हुए सुना)

A1
Only agree the past participle if the preceding direct object is the one doing the following infinitive action.
Les musiciens que j'ai `entendus` jouer au métro é...
10 उदाहरण
2

इन्फिनिटिव के साथ फ्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल समझौता (vus courir vs. vu construire)

A1
बस ये देखो कि क्या verb से पहले वाली चीज़ खुद काम कर रही है? अगर हाँ, तो agreement करो, वरना उसे masculine singular ही रहने दो।
Les musiciens que j'ai entendus jouer étaient géni...
10 उदाहरण
3

निहित इनफिनिटिव के साथ पास्ट पार्टिसिपल (pu, voulu, dû)

A1
जब वाक्य में कोई 'छुपा हुआ काम' (जैसे करना या लेना) हो, तो pu, voulu और «dû» को एकदम बेसिक रखें, उनमें कोई बदलाव न करें।
J'ai fait toutes les pompes que j'ai pu.
11 उदाहरण
4

अपरिवर्तनीय 'Fait' (Faire + Infinitive)

A1
जब भी fait के ठीक बाद कोई दूसरा verb (जैसे 'réparer' या 'livrer') आता है, तो fait का रूप कभी नहीं बदलता। बस fait ही रहेगा!
J'ai fait réparer mon écran de smartphone.
10 उदाहरण
5

चीजों को होने देना: इनफिनिटिव के साथ 'Laisser' क्रिया

A1
जब 'laissé' के बाद कोई बिना बदली हुई क्रिया (infinitive) आती है, तो laissé का अंत कभी नहीं बदलता, वह हमेशा एक जैसा रहता है।
J'ai laissé partir mes amis.
12 उदाहरण
6

कोई समझौता नहीं: जब वस्तु अनिश्चित काल की होती है (Pas d'accord : COD objet de l'infinitif)

A1
जब कोई 'Infinitive' (बिना बदला हुआ verb) अपने से पहले आने वाली चीज़ का 'मालिक' बन जाता है, तो पिछला हिस्सा बिल्कुल नहीं बदलता और neutral रहता है।
Les devoirs que j'ai dû faire étaient difficiles.
10 उदाहरण

Next Steps

You have completed this chapter! Your French is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Keep practicing!

Write a diary entry for yesterday.

Continue to: Special Cases and Advanced Structures

त्वरित अभ्यास (10)

गलती ढूँढें और सही करें।

ठीक करें: Il a payé les dettes qu'il a dues.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il a payé les dettes qu'il a dû.
गलती 'dues' थी। इस नियम के हिसाब से 'dû' हमेशा एक जैसा रहता है।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: निहित इनफिनिटिव के साथ पास्ट पार्टिसिपल (pu, voulu, dû)

खाली जगह भरें

La maison qu'il a ___ (fait) construire est belle.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fait
Infinitive के साथ आने पर 'fait' कभी भी अपना रूप नहीं बदलता।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: कोई समझौता नहीं: जब वस्तु अनिश्चित काल की होती है (Pas d'accord : COD objet de l'infinitif)

सही वाक्य चुनें जहाँ agreement सही तरह से किया गया हो।

'The singers (f) I heard singing' के लिए सही वाक्य क्या है?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les chanteuses que j'ai entendues chanter.
यहाँ 'chanteuses' स्त्रीलिंग और बहुवचन है और वे खुद गा रही हैं, इसलिए 'es' जोड़ा गया है।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: इन्फिनिटिव के साथ फ्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल समझौता (vus courir vs. vu construire)

किसी को हँसाने वाले इस वाक्य में गलती ढूँढें और उसे ठीक करें।

Je les ai faits rire hier soir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je les ai fait rire hier soir.
'fait' के बाद जब कोई verb आता है, तो वो कभी नहीं बदलता, चाहे चीज़ बहुवचन ही क्यों न हो।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: इन्फिनिटिव के साथ फ्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल समझौता (vus courir vs. vu construire)

गलती ढूँढें और ठीक करें:

Les pizzas que j'ai faites livrer sont délicieuses.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les pizzas que j'ai fait livrer sont délicieuses.
'livrer' की मौजूदगी में 'fait' के साथ कोई एग्रीमेंट नहीं होता।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: अपरिवर्तनीय 'Fait' (Faire + Infinitive)

सही वाक्य चुनें:

कार (la voiture) के बारे में:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je l'ai fait réparer.
भले ही 'la voiture' स्त्रीलिंग है, पर 'réparer' की वजह से 'fait' नहीं बदलेगा।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: अपरिवर्तनीय 'Fait' (Faire + Infinitive)

सही वाक्य कौन सा है?

'किताबें जो मैं खरीदना चाहता था' कहने का सही तरीका चुनें:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les livres que j'ai voulu acheter.
चूंकि 'livres' यहाँ 'acheter' (infinitive) का ऑब्जेक्ट है, इसलिए 'voulu' में कोई बदलाव नहीं होगा।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: कोई समझौता नहीं: जब वस्तु अनिश्चित काल की होती है (Pas d'accord : COD objet de l'infinitif)

Fill in the correct form of the participle.

La fille que j'ai ____ (voir) danser.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vue
The girl is the agent.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: फ़्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल और इनफिनिटिव की सहमति (गाते हुए सुना)

सही शब्द चुनकर खाली जगह भरें।

Elle a pris les photos qu'elle a ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: voulu
चूँकि यहाँ 'लेना' (prendre) छुपा हुआ है, इसलिए 'voulu' में कोई बदलाव नहीं होगा।

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: निहित इनफिनिटिव के साथ पास्ट पार्टिसिपल (pu, voulu, dû)

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: La chanson que j'ai entendu chanter.
The song is not the agent.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: फ़्रेंच पास्ट पार्टिसिपल और इनफिनिटिव की सहमति (गाते हुए सुना)

Score: /10

सामान्य प्रश्न (6)

It is treated as part of a compound verb with the infinitive.
The agreement is silent, so it's only visible in writing.
ये साफ़ करने के लिए है कि काम कौन कर रहा है और किस पर काम हो रहा है। जैसे: "La femme que j'ai vue peindre" (उसने पेंट किया)।
नहीं, इंग्लिश में हम सिर्फ 'dancing' या 'built' कहते हैं, जेंडर के हिसाब से शब्द नहीं बदलते। जैसे:
The girls I saw dancing.
इसका मतलब है कि शब्द का अंत नहीं बदलेगा। न 'e' लगेगा, न 's'। यह हमेशा बेसिक रहेगा जैसे pu।
हाँ, क्योंकि 'voulu' के बाद अक्सर कोई दूसरा काम छुपा होता है, इसलिए इसमें बदलाव नहीं होता।
पिछला अध्याय
Agreement with Groups and Politeness
अगला अध्याय
Special Cases and Advanced Structures
रोडमैप पर वापस