de + Infinitive

In French, the most common way to report a command or request is by using the preposition de followed by an infinitive. The de + infinitive structure is the standard for everyday communication when a recipient is specified. This structure can also be used even when no specific recipient is mentioned (e.g., Il a ordonné de partir). Furthermore, the de + infinitive structure avoids the tense backshifting a que clause needs, though time and place markers still shift if the reporting verb is in the past. A command can also be reported with que plus the subjunctive, which sounds more formal: Il ordonne que nous partions.

1. Common Reporting Verbs
This structure follows verbs of command, request, or advice. Most of these verbs require the preposition à before the person being addressed (the indirect object):

• dire à [quelqu'un] de... (to tell [someone] to...)
• demander à [quelqu'un] de... (to ask [someone] to...)
• conseiller à [quelqu'un] de... (to advise [someone] to...)
• ordonner à [quelqu'un] de... (to order [someone] to...)
• interdire à [quelqu'un] de... (to forbid [someone] to...)
• défendre à [quelqu'un] de... (to forbid [someone] to...)

Note that some verbs, like prier (to request) or supplier (to beg), take a direct object instead: Je le supplie de rester. Additionally, a few verbs like inviter take a direct object and use the preposition à instead of de (inviter [quelqu'un] à..., e.g., Il m'invite à dîner). One verb stands apart: exiger (to demand) never takes [someone] + de + infinitive. When the person who must act is someone else, use que plus the subjunctive instead: Il exige que je parte.

2. Elision
When the following infinitive starts with a vowel or a mute 'h', the preposition de undergoes elision and becomes d': Il m'a dit d'attendre.

3. Pronoun Placement
In a direct command, pronouns often follow the verb (Fais-le !). However, in reported speech, the object pronoun moves before the infinitive: Il m'a dit de le faire. If reporting 'Look at me!' (Regarde-moi !), it becomes: Il m'a dit de le regarder (He told me to look at him) or Elle m'a dit de la regarder (She told me to look at her), depending on the gender of the original speaker.

4. Negation
To report a negative command, place ne pas together immediately before the infinitive: Il m'a dit de ne pas fumer. This rule also applies to other negative adverbs like ne jamais, ne plus, and ne rien (e.g., Il m'a dit de ne jamais fumer). If there is an object pronoun, it is placed between the negation and the infinitive: Il m'a dit de ne pas le faire.

5. Indirect Objects
For the majority of reporting verbs, the person receiving the command is the indirect object (e.g., Je lui ai dit de venir).

6. Reflexive Verbs
When reporting a command with a reflexive verb, the reflexive pronoun moves before the infinitive and must agree with the person receiving the command: Il m'a dit de me lever.

7. The Demander Trap
Be careful when using demander without specifying a recipient. If the subject of the sentence is the one performing the action, you must use à instead of de: Il a demandé à partir (He asked to leave). You only use de when asking someone else to do the action: Il m'a demandé de partir (He asked me to leave).