Verbes de perception FSF4U

Verbs of perception are verbs which, logically enough, indicate a perception or sensation. There are six common French verbs of perception: apercevoir to catch a glimpse of écouter to listen to entendre to hear regarder to watch sentir to feel voir to seeVerbs of perception are verbs which, logically enough, indicate a perception or sensation. There are six common French verbs of perception: apercevoir to catch a glimpse of écouter to listen to entendre to hear regarder to watch sentir to feel voir to see

Verbes de perception These verbs may be followed by a noun or an infinitive. For example: J'aperçois un arbre  I see (a glimpse of) a tree J'aperçois tomber un arbre  I see (a glimpse of) a tree falling J'écoute les enfants  I'm listening to the children J'écoute parler les enfants  I'm listening to the children talking

Verbes de perception J'entends les étudiants  I hear the students J'entends arriver les étudiants  I hear the students arriving J'entends les étudiants  I hear the students J'entends arriver les étudiants  I hear the students arriving Je regarde l'équipe  I'm watching the team Je regarde jouer l'équipe  I'm watching the team play Je regarde l'équipe  I'm watching the team Je regarde jouer l'équipe  I'm watching the team play Je sens le vent  I feel the wind Je sens souffler le vent  I feel the wind blowing Je sens le vent  I feel the wind Je sens souffler le vent  I feel the wind blowing Je vois le chien  I see the dog Je vois courir le chien  I see the dog running Je vois le chien  I see the dog Je vois courir le chien  I see the dog running

Verbes de perception Word order with French verbs of perception depends on whether the infinitive has a subject and/or object* and whether these are nouns or pronouns.Word order with French verbs of perception depends on whether the infinitive has a subject and/or object* and whether these are nouns or pronouns. *How do you know whether the noun or pronoun that precedes the verb is the subject or the direct object? If it is the person or thing performing the action of the infinitive, it is the subject of the infinitive. If it is not performing the action but rather is being performed by the infinitive, it is the direct object.*How do you know whether the noun or pronoun that precedes the verb is the subject or the direct object? If it is the person or thing performing the action of the infinitive, it is the subject of the infinitive. If it is not performing the action but rather is being performed by the infinitive, it is the direct object.

Word order with verbs of perception 1. When the infinitive has either a subject pronoun or object pronoun, it must be placed in front of the main verb: 1. When the infinitive has either a subject pronoun or object pronoun, it must be placed in front of the main verb: Subject J'entends les enfants arriver (I hear the children arriving) Je les entends arriverSubject J'entends les enfants arriver (I hear the children arriving) Je les entends arriver Je regarde la fille écrire (I see the girl writing)) Je la regarde écrire Object J'entends lire l'histoire (I hear the story being read) Je l'entends lire Je vois coudre une robe (I see the dress being sewn) Je la vois coudreObject J'entends lire l'histoire (I hear the story being read) Je l'entends lire Je vois coudre une robe (I see the dress being sewn) Je la vois coudre

Word order with verbs of perception 2. If the infinitive has a non-pronoun direct object and no subject, it must be placed after the infinitive. J'entends lire l'histoire (I hear the story being read) Je vois coudre une robe (I see the dress being sewn) Je regarde nettoyer la chambre (I'm watching the room being cleaned) 2. If the infinitive has a non-pronoun direct object and no subject, it must be placed after the infinitive. J'entends lire l'histoire (I hear the story being read) Je vois coudre une robe (I see the dress being sewn) Je regarde nettoyer la chambre (I'm watching the room being cleaned)

Word order with verbs of perception 3. If the infinitive has a non-pronoun subject and no object, the subject can be placed either before or after the infinitive: J'entends les enfants arriver J'entends arriver les enfants (I hear the children arriving) Je regarde la fille écrire Je regarde écrire la fille (I'm watching the girl write) Je sens le vent souffler Je sens souffler le vent (I feel the wind blowing) 3. If the infinitive has a non-pronoun subject and no object, the subject can be placed either before or after the infinitive: J'entends les enfants arriver J'entends arriver les enfants (I hear the children arriving) Je regarde la fille écrire Je regarde écrire la fille (I'm watching the girl write) Je sens le vent souffler Je sens souffler le vent (I feel the wind blowing)

Word order with verbs of perception 4. If the infinitive has a non-pronoun subject as well as an object, you must place the subject in front of the infinitive and the object after it. J'entends les enfants casser le jouet (I hear the children breaking the toy) Je regarde le monsieur écrire une lettre (I'm watching the man write a letter) Je sens le vent caresser ma peau (I feel the wind caressing my skin) 4. If the infinitive has a non-pronoun subject as well as an object, you must place the subject in front of the infinitive and the object after it. J'entends les enfants casser le jouet (I hear the children breaking the toy) Je regarde le monsieur écrire une lettre (I'm watching the man write a letter) Je sens le vent caresser ma peau (I feel the wind caressing my skin)

Word order with verbs of perception 5. If the subject is a pronoun (a), it precedes the conjugated verb. If the object is a pronoun (b), it precedes the infinitive. a: Je les entends casser le jouet (I hear them breaking the toy) b: J'entends les enfants le casser (I hear the children breaking it) a: Je le regarde écrire une lettre (I'm watching him write a letter) b: Je regarde un monsieur l'écrire (I'm watching a man write it) a: Je le sens caresser ma peau (I feel it caressing my skin) b: Je sens le vent la caresser (I feel the wind caressing it) 5. If the subject is a pronoun (a), it precedes the conjugated verb. If the object is a pronoun (b), it precedes the infinitive. a: Je les entends casser le jouet (I hear them breaking the toy) b: J'entends les enfants le casser (I hear the children breaking it) a: Je le regarde écrire une lettre (I'm watching him write a letter) b: Je regarde un monsieur l'écrire (I'm watching a man write it) a: Je le sens caresser ma peau (I feel it caressing my skin) b: Je sens le vent la caresser (I feel the wind caressing it)

Word order with verbs of perception 6. If both the subject and object are pronouns, you must place the subject in front of the main verb and the object after it: Je les entends le casser (I hear them breaking it) Je le regarde l'écrire (I'm watching him write it) Je le sens la caresser (I feel it caressing it) 6. If both the subject and object are pronouns, you must place the subject in front of the main verb and the object after it: Je les entends le casser (I hear them breaking it) Je le regarde l'écrire (I'm watching him write it) Je le sens la caresser (I feel it caressing it)

Agreement with verbs of perception The rules of agreement for verbs of perception in the compound tenses are a bit different than for other verbs. Rather than agreeing with the direct object, as for most verbs conjugated with avoir in the compound tenses, verbs of perception only require agreement when the subject precedes the verb.The rules of agreement for verbs of perception in the compound tenses are a bit different than for other verbs. Rather than agreeing with the direct object, as for most verbs conjugated with avoir in the compound tenses, verbs of perception only require agreement when the subject precedes the verb.

Agreement with verbs of perception 1) If the subject* of the infinitive precedes the verb of perception, there is agreement: J'ai vu tomber la fille I saw the girl fall La fille que j'ai vue tomber Je l'ai vue tomber J'ai regardé les enfants écrire I watched the children write Les enfants que j'ai regardés écrire Je les ai regardés écrire J'ai entendu arriver les étudiants I watched the students arrive Les étudiants que j'ai entendus arriver Je les ai entendus arriver1) If the subject* of the infinitive precedes the verb of perception, there is agreement: J'ai vu tomber la fille I saw the girl fall La fille que j'ai vue tomber Je l'ai vue tomber J'ai regardé les enfants écrire I watched the children write Les enfants que j'ai regardés écrire Je les ai regardés écrire J'ai entendu arriver les étudiants I watched the students arrive Les étudiants que j'ai entendus arriver Je les ai entendus arriver

Agreement with verbs of perception 2) There is no agreement with the direct object* of the infinitive.2) There is no agreement with the direct object* of the infinitive. *How do you know whether the noun or pronoun that precedes the verb is the subject or the direct object? If it is the person or thing performing the action of the infinitive, it is the subject of the infinitive and follows agreement rule 1. If it is not performing the action but rather is being performed on by the infinitive, it is the direct object and follows rule 2.*How do you know whether the noun or pronoun that precedes the verb is the subject or the direct object? If it is the person or thing performing the action of the infinitive, it is the subject of the infinitive and follows agreement rule 1. If it is not performing the action but rather is being performed on by the infinitive, it is the direct object and follows rule 2.

Agreement with verbs of perception J'ai vu les enfants écrire les lettres Enfants is the subject, lettres is the direct object. Even if we leave out enfants, lettres is still the direct object, so there is no agreement: J'ai vu écrire les lettres I saw the letters get written Les lettres que j'ai vu écrire Je les ai vu écrire J'ai entendu le monsieur lire une histoire Monsieur is the subject, histoire is the direct object: J'ai entendu lire une histoire I heard a story get read L'histoire que j'ai entendu lire Je l'ai entendu lire