adjective + de + infinitive

ByFast French

In French, when an adjective is followed by an infinitive verb, the preposition de is frequently placed between them. This structure creates a direct relationship between the quality expressed by the adjective and the action denoted by the verb. Unlike the noun + de + infinitive construction, this pattern specifically links descriptive qualities to actions.

Structure and Usage

The basic formula is:
Adjective + de + Infinitive

This construction appears in various contexts to express:

  • Emotional reactions to actions
  • Evaluations of actions
  • Personal characteristics in relation to actions
  • Necessity or importance of actions

Complete Sentence Examples

  1. Je suis heureux de te revoir. (I’m happy to see you again.)
  2. Elle était surprise d’apprendre la vérité. (She was surprised to learn the truth.)
  3. Nous sommes prêts de commencer le projet. (We’re ready to start the project.)
  4. Il est important de bien préparer l’examen. (It’s important to prepare well for the exam.)
  5. Tu es courageux de dire la vérité. (You’re brave to tell the truth.)
  6. C’est difficile de comprendre cette théorie. (It’s hard to understand this theory.)
  7. Elle semble contente de participer. (She seems happy to participate.)
  8. Ils sont fiers d’avoir gagné. (They’re proud to have won.)
  9. Je suis désolé de t’avoir fait attendre. (I’m sorry to have made you wait.)
  10. Il est impossible de prévoir l’avenir. (It’s impossible to predict the future.)

Important Notes on Usage

1. Preposition Variation: While de is common, some adjectives require à:
  • Ce problème est facile à résoudre (This problem is easy to solve)
  • Elle est lente à comprendre (She’s slow to understand)
2. Formal vs. Informal: In spoken French, de is sometimes omitted in rapid speech:
  • Je suis content te voir (instead of Je suis content de te voir)
3. Pronoun Placement: When using object pronouns, they precede the infinitive:
  • Je suis heureux de vous rencontrer (I’m happy to meet you)
4. Compound Tenses: With auxiliary verbs, the structure remains the same:
  • J’ai été surpris d’entendre cette nouvelle (I was surprised to hear this news)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Confusing de and à:
  • Incorrect: Content à voir
  • Correct: Content de voir
2. Omitting de in formal writing:
  • Incorrect (formal): Important faire
  • Correct: Important de faire
3. Misplacing pronouns:
  • Incorrect: Heureux de te voir vous
  • Correct: Heureux de vous voir

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • How to say “under” in French

    ByFast French

    Translating prepositions from one language to another can be a tricky task. One group of prepositions that often poses challenges in learning French is the one containing “under,” “underneath,” “below” and “beneath.” “Sous” The most common and straightforward translation for “under” in French is “sous.” This word is the primary equivalent of “under” and is…

  • faire en sorte que

    ByFast French

    “Faire en sorte que” is a versatile French expression that often challenges language learners because it doesn’t have a direct word-for-word translation in English. Literal Translation The expression breaks down as: So literally, it means “to make in such a way that” or “to do in such a manner that.” Figurative Translations In practical usage,…

  • -eur masculine nouns

    ByFast French

    French nouns ending in eur often come from English words ending in er or or. This happens when the words are for jobs, machines, or people who do something. French takes the English word and changes the ending to match its own way of spelling and saying things. The gender is almost always masculine. Here…

  • text messages

    ByFast French

    Texting in French involves specific terminology, as well as abbreviations to save time and space. Many of these are derived from shortened words or phonetic spellings. General terms (not abbreviations) Here’s a concise list of French terms related to texting/SMS with English translations: Basic Terms Actions Tech & Notifications Informal/Abbreviated Terms General greetings and expressions…

  • | |

    derrière

    ByFast French

    The French word “derrière” can function either as a preposition, as an adverb or as a noun. Depending on which one of these three parts of speech it is being used as, it can mean “behind,” “after,” “shortly after,” “afterwards,” “bottom,” or “back.” It is the opposite of “devant,” discussed in this blog post. Preposition…

  • on time

    ByFast French

    In English, the phrase “on time” can refer to something happening at the expected or scheduled time, without delay. In French, there are two main ways to translate “on time”: à temps and à l’heure. They are not interchangeable. The correct choice depends on the context. À l’heure The phrase à l’heure is used when…