Language/French/Grammar/Confusions-English-and-French-direct-object
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Definitions Reminder: What is a Direct Object?
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: 2 structures for an almost identical meaning
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
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.
Thus:
- Des fleurs ont été offertes à Emily par Matthew
Flowers were given to Emily by Matthew
It is an acceptable French sentence.
However, "Emily fut offerte des fleurs par Matthew " cannot be accepted.
French and English comparison
Sentences constructed with similar verbs run into the same problems:
English
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
"Enseigner quelque chose à quelqu'un":
- J'ai enseigné l'anglais à Pierre
- But "J'ai enseigné Pierre l'anglais" cannot be accepted
Consequently:
- "L'anglais fut enseigné à Pierre par moi" can be accepted
- But *Pierre fut enseigné l'anglais par moi" cannot be accepted
English
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
"Raconter quelque chose à quelqu'un":
- J'ai raconté une histoire à Pierre
- But "J'ai raconté Pierre une histoire" cannot be accepted
Consequently:
- "Une histoire fut racontée à Pierre par moi" can be accepted
- But "Pierre fut raconté une histoire par moi" cannot be accepted
List of common French verbs which cannot be put in the passive voice
Common French verbs whose prepositional objects must retain the preposition and cannot be passive are listed below:
| French | Translation |
|---|---|
| accorder qc à qn to grant sb sth | to grant sb sth |
| apprendre qc à qn to teach sb sth | to teach sb sth |
| commander qc à qn | to order sb to do sth/to order sth from sb |
| conseiller qc à qn | to advise sb to do sth |
| défendre qc à qn | to forbid sb sth |
| demander qc à qn | to ask sb sth |
| donner qc à qn | to give sb sth |
| écrire qc à qn | to write sb sth |
| enseigner qc à qn | to teach sb sth |
| laisser qc à qn | to leave sb sth |
| montrer qc à qn | to show sb sth |
| offrir qc à qn | to offer sb sth, treat sb to sth |
| pardonner qc à qn | to forgive sb sth |
| passer qc à qn | to pass sb sth |
| permettre qc à qn | to allow sb sth |
| prescrire qc à qn | to prescribe sb sth |
| prêter qc à qn | to lend sb sth |
| promettre qc à qn | to promise sb sth |
| refuser qc à qn | to refuse sb sth |