Grammar / B2 : Upper Intermediate / Infinitive clauses
Infinitive clauses
Je l'entends chanter, je le vois partir: structure and use.
1. What an Infinitive Proposition Is
An infinitive proposition is a subordinate clause in which the verb appears in the infinitive and has its own implicit subject, distinct from the subject of the main clause. It functions as the object of the main verb.
In English, this corresponds to constructions like "I hear him singing", "I see her leave", "I feel the ground shake". In French, the structure is:
J'entends les enfants jouer dans le jardin.
(I hear the children playing in the garden.)
The object (les enfants) is both the object of the main verb (entendre) and the implicit subject of the infinitive (jouer). This double role is the defining feature of the infinitive proposition.
2. The Verbs That Trigger This Construction
Not all verbs allow an infinitive proposition. Only verbs of perception and certain verbs of causation take this structure directly, without de or à.
Verbs of perception (the core group)
| Verb | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| entendre (to hear) | Je l'entends chanter. | I hear him/her singing. |
| écouter (to listen to) | Je l'écoute parler. | I listen to him/her speaking. |
| voir (to see) | Je le vois partir. | I see him leaving. |
| regarder (to watch) | Je la regarde danser. | I watch her dancing. |
| sentir (to feel / smell) | Je sens le vent souffler. | I feel the wind blowing. |
Verbs of causation
| Verb | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| faire (to make / have) | Je le fais travailler. | I make him work / I have him work. |
| laisser (to let) | Je le laisse partir. | I let him leave. |
| envoyer (to send) | Je l'envoie chercher le courrier. | I send him to fetch the mail. |
| mener / emmener (to take) | Je l'emmène voir le médecin. | I take him to see the doctor. |
Faire expresses that the subject causes or compels the action. The subject of faire is not performing the infinitive action; someone else is.
Laisser expresses that the subject permits or allows the action without intervening.
Je fais réparer la voiture. (I have the car repaired, by someone.)
Je laisse partir les enfants. (I let the children leave; I allow it.)
3. Position of the Object: Noun vs. Pronoun
The position of the object depends on whether it is a noun or a pronoun, and whether the main verb is faire or a perception verb.
With a noun object
The noun object generally follows the infinitive (especially with faire). With perception verbs, it can precede or follow the infinitive.
(I hear the children singing.) (both orders possible with perception verbs)
Je fais travailler les employés.
(I make the employees work.); noun follows infinitive with faire
With a pronoun object
When the object is a pronoun, it always precedes the main verb (not the infinitive), following the normal pronoun placement rules.
Je le vois partir. (I see him leaving.)
Je la laisse parler. (I let her speak.)
Je les fais travailler. (I make them work.)
4. faire + Infinitive: The Causative Construction in Detail
The causative construction with faire deserves its own section because it has specific rules about object placement when two objects are present.
One object only
When there is only one object (the person or thing acted upon), it is the direct object of the whole construction.
Je le fais venir. (I have him come.): pronoun precedes faire
Two objects: the agent and the thing
When both the agent (person performing the action) and the thing acted upon are expressed, the agent becomes an indirect object introduced by à or par. This avoids ambiguity.
(I have the students read this text.): ce texte = COD; aux étudiants = COI
Je fais réparer la voiture par un mécanicien.
(I have the car repaired by a mechanic.): la voiture = COD; par un mécanicien = agent
Je la lui fais lire.
(I have him read it.): pronoun objects both precede faire
faire + infinitive: the past participle is always invariable
As noted in the previous lesson, fait never agrees with a preceding object in this construction.
Je les ai fait entrer. (I had them come in.): fait invariable
5. Perception Verbs: Agreement of the Past Participle
Unlike faire, perception verbs (voir, entendre, écouter, regarder, sentir) do allow agreement of the past participle with a preceding object; but only under a specific condition: the preceding object must be the subject of the infinitive.
Preceding object = subject of infinitive → agree
Les enfants que j'ai vus jouer.(The children I saw playing.)
The children are doing the playing → they are the subject of jouer → agree.
La chanteuse que j'ai entendue chanter.
She is doing the singing → agree.
Preceding object = object of infinitive → no agreement
La chanson que j'ai entendu chanter.(The song I heard sung.)
The song is not doing the singing → it is the object of chanter → no agreement.
La pièce que j'ai vu jouer.
The play is not doing the playing → no agreement.
"The children play" → yes → agree. "The song sings" → no → no agreement.
6. laisser + Infinitive
Laisser follows the same agreement logic as perception verbs (agree if preceding object is subject of infinitive), but in practice many speakers treat it like faire (invariable). Both are accepted at B2 level.
(I let them leave.) (both forms accepted)
Elle s'est laissé convaincre. (She let herself be convinced.) (invariable preferred in reflexive construction)
7. The Infinitive Proposition vs. the que Clause
The infinitive proposition competes with a que + indicative subordinate clause for the same semantic space. Knowing when each is preferred is a B2 writing skill.
| Construction | Register | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitive proposition (perception verb) | Standard, all registers | Je l'entends chanter. |
| que + indicative (perception verb) | More emphatic, spoken | J'entends qu'il chante. |
| Infinitive proposition (causative) | Standard, written and spoken | Je le fais travailler. |
| que + subjunctive (desire/necessity) | Different meaning (not causative) | Je veux qu'il travaille. |
Je veux qu'il travaille expresses a desire: he may or may not work.
Je le fais travailler expresses causation: I actively make it happen.
These are not interchangeable. The infinitive proposition with faire always implies the action is caused to happen.
8. Negation in the Infinitive Proposition
In the infinitive proposition, negation applies to the main verb, not to the infinitive, unless the meaning specifically negates the infinitive action.
(I don't hear him singing.) (negation of the main verb: I don't perceive it)
Je le vois ne pas répondre.
(I see him not answering.); negation of the infinitive: I perceive his non-action (rarer, formal)
9. Common Errors
| Error | Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| Adding à or de before infinitive with perception verb | Je l'entends à chanter. | Je l'entends chanter. |
| Pronoun placed after main verb | J'entends chanter les. | Je les entends chanter. |
| Agreement of fait in causative | Je les ai faits partir. | Je les ai fait partir. |
| No agreement with perception verb (subject of infinitive) | La chanteuse que j'ai entendu chanter. | La chanteuse que j'ai entendue chanter. |
| Confusing faire + infinitive with vouloir que + subjunctive | Je fais qu'il travaille. | Je le fais travailler. |
| Two direct objects with faire (ambiguity) | Je fais lire les étudiants ce texte. | Je fais lire ce texte aux étudiants. |
Lesson Summary
- An infinitive proposition is a subordinate clause where the infinitive has its own implicit subject, distinct from the main clause subject.
- It is triggered by verbs of perception (voir, entendre, écouter, regarder, sentir) and verbs of causation (faire, laisser, envoyer, emmener).
- No preposition (à or de) appears between the main verb and the infinitive in this construction.
- Noun objects can precede or follow the infinitive with perception verbs; with faire, the noun typically follows the infinitive.
- Pronoun objects always precede the main verb.
- With faire and two objects (agent + thing), the agent is introduced by à or par.
- Past participle of faire: always invariable in the causative construction.
- Past participle of perception verbs: agrees with the preceding object only if that object is the subject of the infinitive; no agreement if it is the object of the infinitive.
- Laisser: agreement is optional in most constructions; invariable is preferred in reflexive use (se laisser).
- Je le fais travailler (causation: it happens) ≠ Je veux qu'il travaille (desire: it may or may not happen).