Look at the object pronouns in these sentences with infinitives:
Je peux la rencontrer aujourd'hui.
I can meet her today.
Valérie doit le garder.
Valérie must babysit him.
J'aime l'écouter.
I like to listen to him.
Tu veux les acheter.
You want to buy them.
Note that generally, when object pronouns are used in sentences with infinitives, they are placed right before the infinitive.
See also Replacing nouns with le, la, l', les = it, him, her, them (direct object pronouns)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Tu veux les acheter.
You want to buy them.
Je peux la rencontrer aujourd'hui.
I can meet her today.
Tu détestes les entendre.
You hate to hear them.
Valérie doit le garder.
Valérie must babysit him.
Je vais leur téléphoner.
I'm going to phone them.
J'aime l'écouter.
I like to listen to him.
Nous allons lui parler.
We are going to talk to her.
Loading your KwizQ&A
Laura
Kwiziq language super star
26/03/16
Bonjour Christine,
It's a question of indirect vs direct objects.
In French, the verb téléphoner requires the preposition à: Je vais téléphoner à mes parents. The preposition makes mes parents the indirect object, so it has to be replaced with the indirect object pronoun leur.
In comparison, the verb détester does not need a preposition: Tu détestes entendre tes parents, so tes parents is the direct object and is replaced by the direct object pronoun les.
Here are some lessons you might find helpful:
Direct objects
Christine
Kwiziq community member
26/03/16
Christine
Charles
Kwiziq community member
8/04/16
Eg. "I listen to my parents" becomes "I listen my parents" in French.
"I'll phone you" becomes "I'll phone to you".
Then the direct/indirect object pronouns fall into place without having to think further.
It's a simplification and doesn't ALWAYS work, but as you get to know which verbs do or don't take "à", it's generally a good mental shortcut.
I hope that helps! Charles.
Lucy
Kwiziq community member
9/04/16
Lucy
Kwiziq community member
9/04/16
Laura
Kwiziq language super star
17/12/15
J'aime l'écouter is correct. There are a few French verbs where the preposition required in English is in a sense built into the French verb.
Écouter means "to listen to," regarder means "to look at," chercher means "to look for," etc. So even though we need a preposition in English, we don't in French.
Lewis
Kwiziq community member
18 November 2017
2 replies
Écouter takes direct object pronoun?
From the lesson: J'aime l'écouter. (I like to listen to him.) Écouter = to listen to Isn't this use of 'him' an example of an indirect object, and therefore, "J'aime lui écouter", correct? Unless écouter isn't a verb that's usually by à, but it sure seems that it is.
Chris
Kwiziq community member
18 November 2017
18/11/17
J'écoute le prof. -- I listen to the teacher.
J'écoute de la musique. -- I listen to music.
But never: j'écoute à....
Consequently no lui/leur.
-- Chris. (not a native speaker).
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
19 November 2017
19/11/17
Indeed the verb écouter in French takes a direct object:
In "écouter de la musique", the "de" isn't a preposition, but the partitive article [de la = some] used with uncountable nouns (you can't say une musique, deux musiques...).
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !