infinitives preceded by de

Question

I am still unclear when to put a de in front of an infinitive verb.  I understand when the de is part of a preceding expression but consistently get it wrong. Can you give me some definitive way to determine if the infinitive verb should be preceded by de (or not)?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, there is no definitive rule that tells you which preposition -- à or de -- to use before an infinitive. The choice is dictated by the verb, and different verbs require either one or the other. It's best to study the preposition along with the verb.
There are lists of those verbs on kwiziq. On the internet, you'll find various resources for this, such as: Prepositions Before Infinitives (cliffsnotes.com)
https://french.kwiziq.com/learn/theme/3907147
https://french.kwiziq.com/learn/theme/3744352