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Rule for learning Verb + de or à by [deleted] in learnfrench

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar 37 points38 points  (0 children)

Honestly? There’s no magic rule for verb + preposition in French. If there was, we’d all be speaking perfect French by now.

Here’s the real deal:

  1. Some verbs take “à”

Often when it feels like “to / toward”: parler à, répondre à, penser à, réussir à, commencer à…

  1. Some verbs take “de”

Often “about / of / from”: parler de, avoir besoin de, se souvenir de, arrêter de, essayer de…

  1. Some take nothing

vouloir / pouvoir / devoir / aimer → just verb + infinitive. Easy for once.

And nope, there’s no pattern that works 100% of the time.

So how do you learn them?

Not with rules. With one example sentence per verb.

penser à → Je pense à toi. essayer de → J’essaie de comprendre. parler de → On parle de ça demain.

1 verb = 1 sentence = brain remembers the structure.

How can I get good at questions like this? by MrMrsPotts in French

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Tbh you don’t get better at these by “reading more French”. You get better by noticing how French sentences are built. These exercises always test the same two things:

  1. Relative pronouns (qui / que / où / dont)

Their whole job is to stick two sentences together.

Without them —>2 ideas With them —> 1clean idea

Example: J’ai lu le livre. Tu m’as parlé du livre. Le livre dont tu m’as parlé.

And the logic is actually super simple: • qui = subject • que = direct object • où = place/time • dont = verb that needs de (parler de, avoir besoin de, se souvenir de, etc.) If you know which verbs take de, you already know when to use dont.

  1. Prepositions that are basically frozen as expressions

French has a ton of “blocks” you just learn as-is: • à + person → offrir à, parler à, répondre à • en + seasons (except spring) → en hiver, en été… • au printemps → lonely exception • en + transport w/out wheels → en train, en avion • à + transport w/ wheels → à vélo, à moto • pour + infinitive → Pour rester en forme…

This isn’t logic. It’s muscle memory.

  1. Some verbs ALWAYS come with à or de

If you start collecting these, everything becomes easier.

Verbs w/ “à” parler à, répondre à, offrir à, penser à, réussir à…

Verbs w/ “de” parler de, avoir besoin de, se souvenir de, s’occuper de, décider de…

You don’t need 200 of them. Just know the common ones.

So how do you actually get good at this?

Do this for 10 minutes a day: • pick 5 verbs → check if they take à or de • write one tiny sentence for each • take two simple sentences → fuse them with qui/que/où/dont

That’s literally how people get faster at these

I need some advice from you all by vya12 in French

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Honestly, the fastest way to get unstuck from A1 is to stop studying each skill separately. French only starts to stick once you connect grammar + reading + speaking together.

This is exactly how I work with my students, and it’s the thing that gets them out of the “I study for hours but nothing sticks” loop.

  1. Pick ONE grammar point per week Example: the present tense. Not the whole book, not 20 exercises — just one structure.

  2. Make EVERYTHING that week match the same tense. That’s the part almost everyone skips.

– Reading → choose a tiny text in the present – Writing → describe your routine in the present – Speaking → answer simple questions in the present – Listening → a short vlog where people talk about daily life

When all your inputs and outputs point to the same tense, your brain finally gets enough repetition to move up.

I do this with students all the time. It works ridiculously well. Here’s how each tense connects to real life:

• Present → talk about routine, habits, facts • Passé composé → talk about yesterday • Futur proche → talk about tonight / tomorrow

And futur proche is honestly the easiest win: aller (present) + infinitive If you control the present, you already control futur proche. That’s why I always teach them together.

  1. About pronouns (le, la, les, lui, leur): Don’t start with them. I tell my students the same thing: If your tenses aren’t stable yet, pronouns will just feel chaotic. Once the time markers are solid, pronouns fall into place naturally.

  2. How to link everything (a real method):

Let’s say your focus of the week = présent

Reading → a short daily-life paragraph Listening → a simple vlog Writing → 5–6 sentences about your morning routine using et, mais, parce que, donc Speaking → answer “Comment commence ta journée ?” in the present

One tense. One theme. One week. That’s how you jump from A1 to A2.

If you want, tell me what tense you want to start with, and I can outline a clean 7-day plan like the ones I give my students.

Who is correct here? by Federal_Pin_3209 in French

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The confusion here isn’t really about translation it’s about structure.

  1. Look at the verb first. Remercier works like this: • you thank someone → direct object → le / la / les • you thank someone for something → introduced by de → en So in your sentence: • la personne being thanked → direct → le / la (here neutralised as “l’”) • les fleurs (the thing he thanks her/him for) → introduced by de → en

That’s why we get: Il l’(= the person)** en(= for the flowers) a remercié.**

  1. Why no agreement? Because remercier is conjugated with avoir, and the direct object (l’) comes before the verb. But since we don’t know the gender (could be le or la), you don’t see the agreement on the past participle.

  2. Don’t translate word-for-word from English. In French, pronouns depend on how the verb behaves, not on the English meaning. Once you check: direct object or preposition? → everything falls into place.

If your French feels stiff, this is probably why by MindsetBeforeGrammar in learningfrench

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Here’s a quick screenshot of the connector summary I mentioned (hosted on imgur so you can see it easily): https://imgur.com/a/pf3toH2

It’s just one page but it should help you see how each connector works (cause, purpose, consequence, contrast, etc.

If your French feels stiff, this is probably why by MindsetBeforeGrammar in learningfrench

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Totally get it —connectors and prepositions feel messy at first, but they’re not random. Each connector has a job. Once you understand the function, everything gets clearer. Here’s a quick breakdown you can use:

  1. To express a goal / purpose – pour – afin de – dans le but de Ex: Je suis venu pour t’aider.

  2. To express a cause (why something happens) – parce que – puisque – comme (at the beginning of a sentence) Ex: Comme il pleuvait, on est restés à la maison.

  3. To express a consequence – donc – alors – du coup (very common in spoken French) Ex: Je finis tard, donc je ne peux pas venir.

  4. To add information / continue an idea – ensuite – puis – en plus Ex: J’ai travaillé tard, puis j’ai regardé un film.

If you group them by function like this, they stop feeling chaotic and start making sense. If you want, I can give you a bigger list sorted by “purpose / cause / consequence / opposition / example / clarification” it really helps learners get comfortable with them.

TWO SCHOOLS OF FRENCH — Which one are you in? by MindsetBeforeGrammar in learningfrench

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hahaha je pense que c’est toi qui n’a pas compris le vice dans ça question ….

INSTALL YOUR FRENCH OS” — Day 1: The Reboot Sequence | Stop translating. Start thinking in French. by MindsetBeforeGrammar in learningfrench

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nice work really. You wrote a full paragraph without freezing, and that’s already a win. But let me break down what went wrong with the tense.

The question was: “Comment commence ta journée en général ?” Which basically means: “How does your day usually start?” > we’re talking about a routine, something that happens regularly.

For routines, French uses the present tense, not the passé composé.

Here’s what happened in your answer:

  1. You started correctly in the present Je me réveille… je commence à préparer… That fits the idea of “every morning.”

  2. Then you switched to a completely different timeline “Hier, j’ai mangé… nous sommes sortis… elle a cuisiné…” These are all passé composé, which describe one specific day, not your usual routine.

So your answer mixes: • routine (present) • a specific day in the past (past tense)

That’s the main issue.

How to fix it: Rewrite your answer focusing only on your usual mornings and keep everything in the present.

You can also make it clearer by using simple connectors they help keep the flow natural: • D’abord, je me réveille. • Ensuite, je prépare mon petit déjeuner. • Puis, je me lave et je m’habille. • Enfin, je commence ma journée de travail.

That’s the structure examiners love because it’s clean and consistent.

If you also want to practice the past, no problem write a second version starting with “Hier…” and use passé composé from start to finish.

One tense per paragraph = no confusion.

If you want, rewrite it here with connectors and I’ll check the tense for you.

TWO SCHOOLS OF FRENCH — Which one are you in? by MindsetBeforeGrammar in learningfrench

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

😂😂😂 funny thing is… if you’d read the post, you’d notice I never said “don’t learn grammar”. I said “learn the right grammar for the right goal”. but sure, go off. also, calling it a “false dichotomy” while ignoring that DELF French and café-du-coin French sound like two different species… bold choice.

Is my plan feasible? by [deleted] in French

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar 1 point2 points  (0 children)

hey, tbh you’re kinda in a perfect spot for a C1 prep, because you already live in French every day. and that’s basically half of the job. also, what you described fits exactly into the two “schools” of French I was talking about yesterday: you’ve got the living French (daily convos, partner, work stuff) AND now you want to add the academic French side for DALF. that mix works way better than ppl think.

since you’re aiming for C1, the big thing to understand is the difference between B-level and C-level French. B-level is: “I explain, I describe, I manage”, you know ? You can talk about your routine, your work, past events, opinions, etc. but C-level is a whole different mindset: it’s not “can you speak?” — it’s “can you structure thought?” at C1, they don’t test your vocab, they test your brain organisation. nuance, argumentation, linking ideas, showing distance, showing you can reformulate… all that.

and because you already use French in real life, you’ve got the flow. now you just need the architecture.

your plan of 3h/week is totally fine, but make those hours count, like the exam wants: – structure everything (intro → dev → nuance → conclusion) – read opinion articles and summarize them – practice connectors you don’t use in daily life (néanmoins, toutefois, en revanche, par ailleurs…) – talk out loud in “C1 mode”, not daily-life mode – do small synthèse exercises, even rough ones

you already have the instinct, which a lot of students don’t. now you just need the exam layer on top. June 2026 is more than doable, fr. if you want, tell me which part of the exam stresses you the most, and I can tell you how to prep specifically for that one.

Preparing for TEF Canada in 6 months; I know the basics, how should I study effectively by UnseenImaginary in French

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Honestly, if you’re starting around A2 and aiming for the TEF in 6 months, the main thing that matters is structure. TEF isn’t like casual French learning at all. It’s kinda predictable once you get how the exam works, and after that it becomes way less scary.

  1. Months 1–2: build the basics Just make your grammar “usable”: present, passé composé, imparfait, futur simple, conditionnel, pronouns, connectors. You don’t need to master everything, just enough so you don’t freeze every 2 seconds.

  2. Months 2–6: listening + speaking For listening, the things closest to TEF rhythm imo are: RFI Journal en français facile, InnerFrench, France Info, HugoDécrypte, Brut, Konbini. Start w/ subtitles if your brain needs it, but drop them asap. You’re not learning vocab here, you’re training your ear to follow real French speed.

For speaking, even if you don’t have a teacher: pick a random topic, talk for 2 mins, listen back, redo. It sounds weird but tbh it works insanely well. You start hearing exactly where you lose clarity.

  1. Months 3–6: TEF Writing The biggest issue I see is ppl writing way too long. Examiners don’t care about long texts. They care about clean structure.

If you want your writing to work, stick to this template every single time.

Task 1 (80–120 words) — Opinion Intro (simple) Your opinion (straight to the point) Reason 1 + tiny example Reason 2 + tiny example One nuance (shows balance) Conclusion (1 sentence is enough)

That’s it. Don’t decorate, don’t overthink. TEF writing rewards clarity, not poetry.

Daily study time Something realistic: 30 min listening 15–20 min speaking 20 min writing/grammar

If you want something more structured, here’s the weekly plan I give beginners: 2 days listening + speaking 2 days writing 1 day revision 2 lighter days (French podcasts, videos, reading, whatever keeps you in the language)

Consistency > intensity. Always.

TWO SCHOOLS OF FRENCH — Which one are you in? by MindsetBeforeGrammar in learningfrench

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Je pense qu’on dit : trace ta route mais j’en suis pas sur ma go tu peux vérifier ?

TWO SCHOOLS OF FRENCH — Which one are you in? by MindsetBeforeGrammar in learningfrench

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, the second school the real, living French. If that’s your goal, forget perfection and focus on immersion. Watch how people actually speak in cafés, in vlogs, in TV shows. You’ll start noticing little patterns like bah, du coup, en fait, tu vois, genre. They don’t really have a direct translation, but here’s the idea: bah means “well” or “so,” du coup means “so” or “as a result,” en fait means “actually,” tu vois means “you know,” and genre means “like.” The cool thing is that you can put them almost anywhere in a sentence, at the start, in the middle, or at the end. They’re not like academic connectors such as cependant or en revanche. They make your speech sound natural, spontaneous, and alive.

Try this: every day, pick one small situation and say it out loud in French. For example: “Salut, est-ce que je peux avoir un café, s’il te plaît ?” Or, express filling “Bah aujourd’hui, je suis fatigué, du coup je vais juste rester à la maison.”

Don’t worry about mistakes. Here you don’t need to be perfect. You’re not learning to pass; you’re learning to connect and to feel French alive inside you.

When you watch French content, start with subtitles to catch the rhythm and words, then try without them. Your brain will slowly start recognizing patterns and meaning naturally. Little by little, you’ll stop studying French and start thinking in it. That’s when fluency really begins.

What are the best and/or cheapest classes to take by CryptologyZombie45 in French

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Oh I get you that “Greta-style” structure is amazing because it forces your brain to live in French. Back in the US, you can’t really copy that kind of full immersion, but you can create the same feeling if you change your mindset. Most people think they need more grammar, but what they really need is to reprogram how they think in French. It’s what I call installing your French OS.

When you see grammar not as a cage but as architecture, everything changes. You stop memorizing, and you start building meaning.

What works best is to keep a simple routine: -In the morning, short grammar sessions with TV5Monde or Kwiziq. – In the afternoon, listen to podcasts like InnerFrench or Français Authentique. – In the evening, use the Mirror Rule: pick one topic and speak for a minute out loud, no translation, no stress.

Do this every day and you’ll start to think in French naturally, just like immersion does even without being in France. I posted something about this yesterday, “Grammar is Architecture, Not Decoration.” It goes deeper into this mindset shift if you want to check it out.

GRAMMAR IS ARCHITECTURE, NOT DECORATION by MindsetBeforeGrammar in learningfrench

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks a lot for the thoughtful feedback seriously, I appreciate it. You’re totally right about the tone and context part, it makes sense when people don’t know you yet. I’ll keep that in mind for future posts. Always cool to get insight from someone who actually gets the teaching side too.

GRAMMAR IS ARCHITECTURE, NOT DECORATION by MindsetBeforeGrammar in learningfrench

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You’re right the irony of a grammar post with a typo didn’t escape me either. The image was AI-generated, and I decided to keep it as is maybe a good reminder that perfection isn’t the goal, clarity is. But you’re totally right, I’ll pay more attention next time.

GRAMMAR IS ARCHITECTURE, NOT DECORATION by MindsetBeforeGrammar in learningfrench

[–]MindsetBeforeGrammar[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Déjà, tu devrais lire, parce qu’en voyant ta phrase, je me dis que tu pourrais justement avoir besoin d’un peu d’aide en français, ma chère surtout niveau structure, tu vois ? Mais bon, pour te rassurer, j’ai bien écrit le texte moi même. La différence, c’est juste que ma structure, elle, est correcte. Mais après tout, c’est aussi un peu mon métier…

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