Language/French/Grammar/Confusions-English-and-French-direct-object
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Definitions Reminders[edit | edit source]
What is a Direct Object Complements in French?[edit | edit source]
The direct object complement (French: le complément d'objet direct, COD) directly completes the verb without any preposition. The verb used with a COD is a direct transitive verb.
To find the COD of a verb, it is most often enough to ask questions:
- Quoi ? (What?)
- Qui ? (Who?)
English Double object verbs[edit | edit source]
In English, some verbs have 2 objects:
- an indirect object
- and a direct object.
Subject | Verb | Indirect object | Direct object |
---|---|---|---|
My husband | sent | her | a letter |
She | brought | her father | some fruits. |
She | cooked | all her friends | a delicious cake. |
These clauses have the structure:
Verb + Noun (indirect object) + Noun (direct object)
- More on English double object verbs
English: 2 structures for an almost identical meaning[edit | edit source]
The English language has a set of verbs which allow 2 structures for an almost identical meaning:
- one has a direct object and a prepositional object,
- the other has two non-prepositional objects and the word order is different.
- Matthew gave flowers to Emily
- Matthew gave Emily flowers
In both sentences:
- "Emily" is the indirect object complement of the verb "to give"
- "flowers" is the direct object complement, but in the "double object" construction "Emily" directly follows the verb, which gives the impression that it is the direct object complement.
The English language allows any of the objects to become the subject when the sentence is in the passive voice:
- Flowers were given to Emily by Matthew
- Emily was given flowers by Matthew
French: only 1 structure[edit | edit source]
The French language, however, only allows the prepositional object construction "offrir quelque chose à quelqu'un": Matthew a offert des fleurs à Emily (NOT "Matthew a offert Emily des fleurs")
Furthermore, French only allows the direct object to become the subject in a passive sentence.
Therefore:
- Des fleurs ont été offertes à Emily par Matthew
Flowers were given to Emily by Matthew
It is an acceptable French sentence although it does not sound very natural.
However, "Emily fut offerte des fleurs par Matthew" cannot be accepted.
French and English comparison[edit | edit source]
Sentences constructed with similar verbs run into the same problems:
English[edit | edit source]
To teach somebody something:
- I taught English to Pierre
- I taught Pierre English
- English was taught to Pierre by me
- Pierre was taught English by me
French[edit | edit source]
"Enseigner quelque chose à quelqu'un":
- "J'ai enseigné l'anglais à Pierre" is a correct sentence
- However, "
J'ai enseigné Pierre l'anglais" cannot be accepted
Consequently:
- "L'anglais fut enseigné à Pierre par moi" can be accepted although it does not sound very natural.
- However, "
Pierre fut enseigné l'anglais par moi" cannot be accepted
English[edit | edit source]
To tell somebody something:
- I told a story to Pierre
- I told Pierre a story
- A story was told to Pierre by me
- Pierre was told a story by me
French[edit | edit source]
"Raconter quelque chose à quelqu'un":
- "J'ai raconté une histoire à Pierre" is a correct sentence.
- However, "
J'ai raconté Pierre une histoire" cannot be accepted.
Consequently:
- "Une histoire fut racontée à Pierre par moi" can be accepted although it does not sound very natural.
- However, "
Pierre fut raconté une histoire par moi" cannot be accepted
List of common French verbs which cannot be put in the passive voice[edit | edit source]
Common French verbs whose prepositional objects must retain the preposition and cannot be passive are listed below:
French | Translation |
---|---|
accorder quelque chose à quelqu'un to grant somebody something | to grant somebody something |
apprendre quelque chose à quelqu'un to teach somebody something | to teach somebody something |
conseiller quelque chose à quelqu'un | to advise somebody to do something |
commander quelque chose à quelqu'un | to order somebody to do something/to order something from sb |
défendre quelque chose à quelqu'un | to forbid somebody something |
donner quelque chose à quelqu'un | to give somebody something |
demander quelque chose à quelqu'un | to ask somebody something |
écrire quelque chose à quelqu'un | to write somebody something |
enseigner quelque chose à quelqu'un | to teach somebody something |
montrer quelque chose à quelqu'un | to show somebody something |
laisser quelque chose à quelqu'un | to leave somebody something |
offrir quelque chose à quelqu'un | to offer somebody something, treat somebody to something |
passer quelque chose à quelqu'un | to pass somebody something |
pardonner quelque chose à quelqu'un | to forgive somebody something |
permettre quelque chose à quelqu'un | to allow somebody something |
prêter quelque chose à quelqu'un | to lend somebody something |
prescrire quelque chose à quelqu'un | to prescribe somebody something |
promettre quelque chose à quelqu'un | to promise somebody something |
refuser quelque chose à quelqu'un | to refuse somebody something |
Sources[edit | edit source]