Object Pronoun Position with Infinitives

Imagine a train with two carriages. The first carriage is the conjugated verb. This verb changes for je, tu, or nous. The second carriage is the infinitive. This verb stays in its original form. The object pronoun is like a passenger. This passenger always wants to board the second carriage. Why? Because the second verb is the action being done to the object. If you want to "see her," the action is "seeing." So, the pronoun la stays with voir. It does not stay with peux or dois. It is a logical system once you see it. You are basically grouping the action and its target together. It is like a small family that refuses to be separated. Even when things get messy with negation, they stick together. This consistency is your best friend in French grammar.

1. 1Start with your subject like Je or Nous.
2. 2Add your first conjugated verb like vais or peux.
3. 3Place your object pronoun right after that first verb.
4. 4Finish with the infinitive verb.
5. 5The final result looks like: Je vais le faire.
6. 6For negation, put ne and pas around the first verb.
7. 7The pronoun stays safe next to the infinitive: Je ne vais pas le faire.
8. 8If you have two pronouns, keep them in their standard order.
9. 9They both stay together before the infinitive: Je veux vous le donner.

Use this pattern with "modal" verbs. These are verbs like vouloir, pouvoir, and devoir. They express desire, ability, or necessity. You will also use it with the near future. That is aller plus an infinitive. Imagine you are at a fancy restaurant in Paris. You want to tell the waiter you will take the wine. You would say Je vais le prendre. It sounds much better than repeating le vin twice. You can also use it with verbs of preference. These include aimer, adorer, and détester. If you love chocolate, you might say J'aime le manger. It works in job interviews too. You might say Je peux vous aider to show your skills. It is a very versatile pattern for daily life.

There is always an exception in French, right? Don't worry, there are only a few. The main exceptions are faire, laisser, and perception verbs. Perception verbs are things like voir, entendre, and écouter. With these, the pronoun moves to the front. It sits before the first verb instead. For example, you say Je le fais tomber. You do not say Je fais le tomber. Think of faire as a very bossy verb. It demands the pronoun come to the front of the line. It is like a celebrity who wants all the attention. Most other verbs are much more relaxed. They let the pronoun stay with the infinitive. Just remember the "Big Three": faire, laisser, and "seeing/hearing" verbs.

The biggest mistake is the "English Brain" trap. In English, we say "I want to see him." Learners often try to say Je veux voir le. This is a big no-no in French. The pronoun must come before the verb. Another mistake is putting the pronoun too early. Some say Je le veux voir. While you might hear this in very old poems, it is wrong today. It sounds like you are time-traveling from the 17th century. Also, watch out for negation. Do not put the pronoun inside the ne...pas sandwich. The sandwich only eats the first verb. The pronoun and infinitive stay outside, enjoying the fresh air. Je ne peux pas l'entendre is correct. Je ne le peux pas entendre will make your teacher cry a little bit.

In simple tenses, the pronoun goes before the only verb. Je le vois is simple and clean. But in the Passé Composé, the pronoun goes before avoir or être. You say Je l'ai vu. This is different from the infinitive rule. With an infinitive, the pronoun ignores the first verb. It waits for the second one. Think of it like a traffic light. In Passé Composé, the light is green at the start. In infinitive sentences, the light is red at the start. You have to wait for the second verb to go. It is a subtle shift but very important. Once you master this, you won't mix up your tenses anymore. You will sound like a pro who knows exactly where everything belongs.