A1 · 초급 챕터 30

Verbs Followed by Infinitives

6 총 규칙
63 예문
9

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!

배울 내용

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.

챕터 가이드

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. 1Wrong: "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. 1Wrong:
    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.

주요 예문 (2)

1

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

The musicians I heard playing in the subway were great.

부정사가 뒤따르는 프랑스어 과거분사 성수 일치 (노래하는 것을 들었다)
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.

부정사가 뒤따르는 프랑스어 과거분사 성수 일치 (노래하는 것을 들었다)

팁과 요령 (4)

💡

The Agent Test

Always ask: 'Is the object doing the action?' If yes, agree.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 부정사가 뒤따르는 프랑스어 과거분사 성수 일치 (노래하는 것을 들었다)
🎯

`faire` 치트키

faire 뒤에 동사원형이 오면 고민할 필요가 전혀 없어요! 무조건 기본형인 fait만 쓰면 정답이에요:
Je les ai fait rire.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 부정사가 뒤따르는 프랑스어 과거 분사 일치 (vus courir vs. vu construire)
🎯

영어의 'to do'를 떠올려보세요

우리말의 '~하기를'이나 영어의 'to do'가 뒤에 생략되었다고 느껴지면 과거분사는 변하지 않아요. "J'ai fait ce que j'ai pu."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 생략된 부정사가 있는 과거분사 (pu, voulu, dû)
⚠️

성수 일치 함정 조심!

프랑스 사람들도 가끔 틀리지만 시험 단골 문제예요. 뒤에 동사원형이 있는지 꼭 확인하세요! "La lettre que j'ai fait signer."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 변하지 않는 'Fait': ~하게 시키다 (Faire + 부정사)

핵심 어휘 (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

자주 하는 실수

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

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

Fait before an infinitive never agrees.

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

Voulu with an implied infinitive does not agree.

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

이 챕터의 규칙 (6)

Next Steps

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

Write a diary entry for yesterday.

빠른 연습 (10)

틀린 부분을 찾아 바르게 고치세요.

Fix: Il a payé les dettes qu'il a dues.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il a payé les dettes qu'il a dû.
dettes가 여성 복수형이지만, '지불해야 했던' 행동이 강조되므로 dû는 변하지 않아요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 생략된 부정사가 있는 과거분사 (pu, voulu, dû)

다음 문장에서 틀린 부분을 찾아 고치세요.

Nous avons laissés tomber nos verres.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nous avons laissé tomber nos verres.
동사원형 'tomber' 앞에서는 'laissé'에 's'를 붙이지 않아요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 일이 일어나게 두기: 부정사와 함께 쓰이는 'Laisser' 동사

'voir' 동사의 올바른 형태를 빈칸에 채우세요.

Les maisons que j'ai ___ construire étaient modernes.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vu
집들(maisons)은 스스로 짓는 게 아니라 지어지는 것이므로 성수 일치를 하지 않습니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 부정사가 뒤따르는 프랑스어 과거 분사 일치 (vus courir vs. vu construire)

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: 부정사가 뒤따르는 프랑스어 과거분사 성수 일치 (노래하는 것을 들었다)

다음 중 문법적으로 올바른 문장은 무엇인가요?

현대 프랑스어 규칙에 맞는 문장을 고르세요:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle les a laissé partir.
현대 프랑스어에서는 뒤에 동사원형이 오면 앞의 목적어와 성수 일치를 하지 않아요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 일이 일어나게 두기: 부정사와 함께 쓰이는 'Laisser' 동사

빈칸에 알맞은 'laisser'의 형태를 넣으세요.

J'ai ____ sortir le chien.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: laissé
'sortir'라는 동사원형이 뒤에 오기 때문에 과거분사 'laissé'는 변하지 않아요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 일이 일어나게 두기: 부정사와 함께 쓰이는 'Laisser' 동사

빈칸에 알맞은 형태를 고르세요.

Elle a pris les photos qu'elle a ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: voulu
'찍다(prendre)'라는 행동이 생략되었으므로 'voulu'는 photos에 맞춰 변하지 않아요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 생략된 부정사가 있는 과거분사 (pu, voulu, dû)

성수 일치가 올바르게 된 문장을 고르세요.

'내가 노래하는 걸 들었던 여가수들'을 프랑스어로 하면?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les chanteuses que j'ai entendues chanter.
여가수들(chanteuses)은 여성 복수이고 직접 노래를 부르고 있으므로 'es'를 붙여야 해요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 부정사가 뒤따르는 프랑스어 과거 분사 일치 (vus courir vs. vu construire)

Correct the mistake.

Find and fix the mistake:

Les maisons que j'ai faites construire.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les maisons que j'ai fait construire.
Fait is invariable.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 부정사가 뒤따르는 프랑스어 과거분사 성수 일치 (노래하는 것을 들었다)

웃게 만들었다는 문장에서 틀린 부분을 찾아 고치세요.

Je les ai faits rire hier soir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je les ai fait rire hier soir.
'fait' 뒤에 동사원형이 오면 목적어가 복수라도 절대 일치시키지 않아요.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 부정사가 뒤따르는 프랑스어 과거 분사 일치 (vus courir vs. vu construire)

Score: /10

자주 묻는 질문 (6)

It is treated as part of a compound verb with the infinitive.
The agreement is silent, so it's only visible in writing.
누가 행동을 하는지, 아니면 당하는지를 명확하게 구분하기 위해서예요. 문법계의 표지판 같은 역할이죠! "La chanteuse que j'ai entendue chanter."
아니요, 영어는 'dancing'이나 'built'처럼 형태가 정해져 있지만, 프랑스어는 성별과 수까지 꼼꼼하게 따진답니다.
과거분사의 끝모양을 바꾸지 않는다는 뜻이에요. 여성형 'e'나 복수형 's'를 붙이지 않고 "J'ai fait ce que j'ai pu."처럼 기본형만 써요.
네, vouloir는 보통 뒤에 '가다'나 '하다' 같은 다른 행동이 생략된 경우가 많아서 변하지 않아요. "Elle a pris les vacances qu'elle a voulu."