Rester à les regarder

Question

Another verb + preposition question.  Why is it "rester à les regarder" instead of "rester pour les regarder"?

Accepted Answer

Hi Sean,
There is a difference in meaning between rester à faire which means to continue /to keep doing and rester pour faire which means to stay for a purpose.
I know it is subtle but in this context, you would use rester à les regarder, in other words, they couldn't take their eyes off them.
Hope this helps!

Answer

The preposition pour introduces a causal contact:rester pour les regarder -- to stay in order to watch them.rester à les regarder -- to stay to watch them = to continue to watch them

Answer

Thank you.  So, the use of à  in rester à le faire (to continue/keep doing it) seems similar to how it is used in passer le temps à le faire  (to pass the time doing it).It is all these little filler words, articles and prepositions, that make French difficult.  I would understand rester à le faire if I heard it or read it, but I would not have thought to use when speaking or writing.  I have a friend from Serbia who has lived in the US for 30+ years.  He is perfectly fluent in English but he misuses these little filler words all the time.