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Verbs that swallow the English preposition

When you learn French, you quickly discover that translating word for word is a dangerous game. One of the most common traps for English speakers involves everyday verbs that take a preposition in English but connect directly to their object in French.

For example, in English, we wait for a friend, listen to music, and look at a painting. The prepositions are essential. In French, the verbs do all the heavy lifting themselves. If you try to insert a French preposition like pour or à by analogy to English, your sentence will sound incorrect. The preposition is already swallowed up by the meaning of the French verb.

Word list
attendreA1 to wait attendre quelqu'un = wait for someone écouterA1 to listen écouter la radio = listen to the radio regarderA1 to look regarder quelque chose = look at something rencontrerA1 to meet rencontrer des amis = meet up with friends montrer du doigtA2 to point montrer quelqu'un du doigt = point at someone payerA2 to pay payer le repas = pay for the meal pointer du doigtA2 to point pointer du doigt = point at something retrouverA2 to meet retrouver un ami = meet up with a friend admirerB1 to respect admirer une personne = look up to a person chercherB1 to search chercher ses clés = look for one's keys demanderB1 to ask for demander de l'aide = ask for help désignerB1 to point désigner quelqu'un = point at someone écouterB1 to listen écouter ses parents = listen to one's parents espérerB1 to expect espérer une réponse = hope for an answer feuilleterB1 to leaf through feuilleter un livre = leaf through a book rechercherB1 to search rechercher un emploi = look for a job respecterB1 to respect respecter ses aînés = look up to one's elders viserB1 to aim viser la cible = aim at the target abandonnerB2 to give up abandonner un projet = give up on a plan admirerB2 to look up to admirer quelqu'un = look up to someone désirerB2 to desire désirer un enfant = wish for a child fixerB2 to stare fixer quelqu'un = stare at someone mendierB2 to beg mendier de l'argent = beg for money pleurerB2 to mourn pleurer quelqu'un = grieve for someone quitterB2 to move out quitter son appartement = move out of one's flat regarder fixementB2 to stare regarder fixement quelqu'un = stare at someone souhaiterB2 to desire souhaiter la paix = wish for peace supporterB2 to bear supporter la douleur = put up with the pain surmonterB2 to overcome surmonter une difficulté = get over a difficulty tromperB2 to cheat tromper son conjoint = cheat on one's spouse vaincreB2 to overcome vaincre sa peur = get over one's fear affronterC1 to stand up to affronter quelqu'un = stand up to someone applaudirC1 to applaud applaudir les acteurs = clap for the actors dévisagerC1 to stare dévisager quelqu'un = stare at someone mépriserC1 to look down on mépriser quelqu'un = look down on someone regarder de hautC1 to look down on regarder quelqu'un de haut = look down on someone
The classic daily verbs

Some of the most common French verbs take a direct object, meaning they attach directly to the noun that follows them. This is often the first hurdle for beginners. The verbs attendre, écouter, regarder, and chercher are notorious for tricking English speakers into adding unnecessary prepositions.

J'attends mes amis devant le cinéma.
(I am waiting for my friends in front of the cinema.)
Nous écoutons cette chanson en boucle.
(We are listening to this song on loop.)
Tu cherches tes clés partout.
(You are looking for your keys everywhere.)

Another classic is payer. When you are buying something, you do not pay for the item in French. You simply pay the item.

Je paie le café aujourd'hui.
(I am paying for the coffee today.)
Social and emotional actions

This rule extends beyond basic actions to verbs describing relationships, conflicts, and emotions. For instance, in English, you might cheat on a partner, stand up to a bully, or look down on someone. In French, verbs like tromper, affronter, and mépriser connect straight to the person.

Il ne faut jamais tromper son conjoint.
(One must never cheat on their spouse.)
Elle affronte son patron avec courage.
(She stands up to her boss with courage.)
Ils méprisent les gens malhonnêtes.
(They look down on dishonest people.)

The same logic applies to positive interactions. To look up to someone is simply admirer, and to put up with a difficulty is supporter.

J'admire mon grand-père.
(I look up to my grandfather.)
Looking and gesturing

When describing how we use our eyes or hands, English relies heavily on prepositions like at or through. French provides specific direct verbs for these actions. If you stare at someone, you use fixer or dévisager. If you leaf through a book, you use feuilleter. If you point at something, you use pointer du doigt.

Pourquoi est-ce que tu fixes la porte ?
(Why are you staring at the door?)
Il feuillette un livre dans le salon.
(He is leafing through a book in the living room.)
L'enfant montre du doigt le chien.
(The child points at the dog.)
Summary

When you learn a new French verb, pay attention to its exact translation. If the dictionary definition includes an English preposition, resist the urge to translate that preposition into French. Trust that the French verb already carries the full meaning, and link it directly to its object.