Look at these expressions of purpose:
Elle a acheté de la farine pour faire un gâteau.
She bought flour (in order) to make a cake.
Je vais au cinéma pour voir un film.
I'm going to the cinema (in order) to see a film.
Pour y aller, tu as besoin de prendre le bus.
To go there, you need to take the bus.
Je prends des leçons pour apprendre le français.
I'm taking lessons to learn French.
To express a purpose in French (in order to [do something]), we use the preposition pour + [infinitif].
You can also use the more elegant expression afin de + [infinitif] in the same context:
Case of pour + reflexive verbs
Je vais dans ma chambre pour m'habiller.
I'm going to my room (in order) to get dressed.
Tu lis pour te relaxer.
You read to relax.
Nous allons à la fête foraine pour nous amuser.
We're going to the funfair to have fun.
Les hommes utilisent des rasoirs pour se raser.
Men use razors to shave.
To express purpose with reflexive verbs, you will follow this pattern:
ATTENTION:
The reflexive pronoun needs to match the subject of the verb (who's doing the action) :
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Je vais au cinéma pour voir un film.
I'm going to the cinema (in order) to see a film.
Tu lis pour te relaxer.
You read to relax.
Les hommes utilisent des rasoirs pour se raser.
Men use razors to shave.
Je prends des leçons pour apprendre le français.
I'm taking lessons to learn French.
Je vais dans ma chambre pour m'habiller.
I'm going to my room (in order) to get dressed.
Pour y aller, tu as besoin de prendre le bus.
To go there, you need to take the bus.
Je prends des leçons afin d'apprendre le français.
I'm taking lessons (in order) to learn French.
Elle a acheté de la farine pour faire un gâteau.
She bought flour (in order) to make a cake.
Nous allons à la fête foraine pour nous amuser.
We're going to the funfair to have fun.
Q&A
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
2/09/18
Hi Saw,
No, you cannnot say 'à faire' un gâteau only 'pour faire' is correct.
e.g
Je lui ai téléphoné pour l'inviter = I called (him) to invite him
Je leur ai parlé pour expliquer mon comportement = I spoke to them in order to explain my behaviour
Hope this helps!
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
2/09/18
Chris
Kwiziq community member
5/07/18
He Stewart,
yes, in these cases you can't do without "pour".
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Stewart
Kwiziq community member
5/07/18
Alan
Kwiziq community member
5/07/18
I'm not a native speaker either, but I would have given you the opposite answer. I think pour is only used to stress the purpose, it can be omitted.
There's a song by Boris Vian with the line:
J'vais au cinéma voir des films suédois
Stewart
Kwiziq community member
5/07/18
Chris
Kwiziq community member
29/01/18
David
Kwiziq community member
29/01/18
Chris
Kwiziq community member
30/01/18
steven
Kwiziq community member
11/04/18
According to Duolingo, "regarder" is used with more intent while "voir" is used more passively
Elle va voir la ville - She's going to see the city
Le chat regarde le poisson - The cat is (actively) watching the fish
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
1/09/18
Just to add to this excellent discussion you could only say:
"Je suis en train de regarder un film." (not voir here).
It's the same distinction as-
To hear (entendre) and to listen (écouter) .
The former is a passive action, the latter requires input from the subject .
Hope this helps!
Ron
Kwiziq community member
6/10/17
helen
Kwiziq community member
6/10/17
Chris
Kwiziq community member
17/10/17
the use of directional prepositions in French is different from English. Also, the French don't differentiate as acutely between being somewhere (location) and going somewhere (direction).
Je suis dans ma chambre = I am in my room.
Je vais dans ma chambre = I am going to my room.
The difference of location versus direction is carried by the verb (je suis vs. je vais).
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Ron
Kwiziq community member
17/10/17
Ron
Kwiziq community member
3/08/17
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
9/08/17
In French, you cannot use the verb aller (to go) without mentioning "where" you're going.
The pronoun y here means "there" and is simply used to recall the necessary destination :)
Have a look at our lesson on y :
Y = There (adverbial pronoun)">Y = There (adverbial pronoun)">Y = There (adverbial pronoun)">Y = There (adverbial pronoun)
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
Sean
Kwiziq community member
25 December 2018
1 reply
Why does the example have pour y aller? Why is the "y" necessary? Merci!
Chris
Kwiziq community member
25 December 2018
25/12/18
Pour y aller tu as besoin de prendre le bus. -- To go there you need to take the bus