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Verbs that require the preposition 'de'

When learning French vocabulary, you will notice that certain verbs always use the preposition de to introduce their noun object. This can be tricky for English speakers because the English equivalent might use no preposition at all, or it might use a completely different one.

Learning these verbs along with their required preposition will help your sentences sound natural and prevent you from translating directly from English.

Word list
avoir besoinA1 to need avoir besoin de = to need faire la connaissance deA1 to meet faire la connaissance de = to meet se souvenirA1 to remember se souvenir de = to remember avoir peurA2 to fear avoir peur de = to fear descendreA2 to get off descendre de = to get off descendreA2 to get out descendre de = to get out of discuterA2 to discuss discuter de = to discuss jouerA2 to play jouer de = to play rêverA2 to dream rêver de = to dream about rigolerA2 to laugh rigoler de = to laugh at rireA2 to laugh rire de = to laugh at s'inquiéterA2 to worry s'inquiéter de = to worry about se servirA2 to use se servir de = to use sortirA2 to get off sortir de = to get off sortirA2 to get out sortir de = to get out of avoir envieB1 to feel like avoir envie de = to feel like avoir honteB1 to be ashamed avoir honte de = to be ashamed of convenirB1 to agree convenir de = to agree on dépendreB1 to depend dépendre de = to depend on douterB1 to doubt douter de = to doubt prendre soinB1 to take care of prendre soin de = to take care of profiterB1 to enjoy profiter de = to enjoy profiterB1 to take advantage of profiter de = to take advantage of s'apercevoirB1 to notice s'apercevoir de = to notice s'approcherB1 to approach s'approcher de = to approach s'assurerB1 to make sure s'assurer de = to make sure of s'échapperB1 to escape s'échapper de = to escape from s'éloignerB1 to move away s'éloigner de = to distance oneself from s'évaderB1 to escape s'évader de = to escape from s'excuserB1 to apologize s'excuser de = to apologize for s'occuperB1 to deal with s'occuper de = to deal with s'occuperB1 to take care of s'occuper de = to look after se déconnecterB1 to log out se déconnecter de = to log out of se moquer deB1 to make fun of se moquer de = to make fun of se plaindreB1 to complain se plaindre de = to complain about se remettreB1 to recover se remettre de = to recover from se rendre compteB1 to realize se rendre compte de = to realize se rétablirB1 to recover se rétablir de = to recover from se séparerB1 to break up se séparer de = to break up with se tromperB1 to make a mistake se tromper de = to get the wrong souffrirB1 to suffer souffrir de = to suffer from tomber amoureuxmB1 to fall in love tomber amoureux de = to fall in love with débattreB2 to discuss débattre de = to discuss déménagerB2 to move out déménager de = to move out of démissionnerB2 to quit démissionner de = to resign from divorcerB2 to divorce divorcer de = to divorce en avoir assezB2 to be fed up en avoir assez de = to be fed up with en avoir marreB2 to be fed up en avoir marre de = to be fed up with être composé demB2 to consist of être composé de = to consist of être constitué demB2 to consist of être constitué de = to consist of être en deuilB2 to mourn être en deuil de = to mourn être formé demB2 to consist of être formé de = to be made up of faire l'éloge deB2 to praise faire l'éloge de = to praise guérirB2 to heal guérir de = to recover from manquerB2 to lack manquer de = to lack ne pas tenir compteB2 to ignore ne pas tenir compte de = to ignore prendre conscienceB2 to realize prendre conscience de = to realize s'écarterB2 to move away s'écarter de = to move away from s'enfuirB2 to flee s'enfuir de = to run away from se chargerB2 to deal with se charger de = to take charge of se composer deB2 to consist of se composer de = to consist of se contenterB2 to settle for se contenter de = to settle for se débarrasserB2 to get rid of se débarrasser de = to get rid of se mêlerB2 to get involved se mêler de = to get involved in tenir compteB2 to take into account tenir compte de = to take into account tirer partiB2 to take advantage of tirer parti de = to take advantage of tirer profitB2 to take advantage of tirer profit de = to benefit from hériterC1 to inherit hériter de = to inherit from regorgerC1 to abound regorger de = to abound with se désabonnerC1 to unsubscribe se désabonner de = to unsubscribe from se mêlerC1 to interfere se mêler de = to interfere in se vanterC1 to brag se vanter de = to brag about se vengerC1 to avenge se venger de = to take revenge for
Verbs with direct objects in English

Many common French verbs require de even though their English translation connects directly to the object. For instance, in English you simply need, use, or remember something. In French, you must use avoir besoin de, se servir de, and se souvenir de.

Elle se sert de cet outil tous les jours.
(She uses this tool every day.)
Nous manquons de temps pour finir ce projet.
(We lack time to finish this project.)
Je doute de sa sincérité.
(I doubt his sincerity.)

Other similar expressions include avoir envie de (to feel like), avoir peur de (to fear), and se rendre compte de (to realize).

Verbs with different prepositions in English

Sometimes both languages use a preposition, but they do not match. You depend on something in English, but in French, you use dépendre de. You dream about things, but in French, you use rêver de.

Notre pique-nique dépend de la météo.
(Our picnic depends on the weather.)
Il rêve de ses prochaines vacances.
(He is dreaming about his next holiday.)
Ils se moquent de mon accent.
(They are making fun of my accent.)

You will also see this with s'occuper de (to deal with, to take care of), se plaindre de (to complain about), and s'approcher de (to approach, to draw near to).

Watch out: Merging with articles

When using these verbs, do not forget the basic rules of French contractions. If the noun following de uses the definite article le or les, they must combine to form du and des.

Tu as besoin du dictionnaire aujourd'hui ?
(Do you need the dictionary today?)
Nous profitons des beaux jours.
(We are enjoying the beautiful days.)
Je me souviens des anciens voisins.
(I remember the old neighbours.)
Summary

Treat the preposition de as an inseparable part of these verbs and expressions. Always learn a new verb along with the preposition it requires to introduce a noun object, rather than guessing based on English.