Many common French verbs require the preposition de before a following infinitive. There is no simple rule to guess which verbs take de, so it is best to memorize them as set phrases.
Common examples include décider de (to decide to) and oublier de (to forget to).
| We decide to restore a vintage car. | Nous décidons de restaurer une voiture ancienne. |
| I forgot to paint the hood. | J'ai oublié de peindre le capot. |
Elision with Vowels
If the following infinitive begins with a vowel or a mute h, de contracts to d'.
| We had to stop removing the rust. | Il fallait arrêter d'enlever la rouille. |
| The mechanic risks damaging the bodywork. | Le garagiste risque d'abîmer la carrosserie. |
Working in the Garage
Other useful verbs that take de include risquer de (to risk), tenter de (to attempt to), and cesser de (to stop).
| I risk finding rust under the hood. | Je risque de trouver de la rouille sous le capot. |
| We had to attempt to repair this old vehicle. | Il fallait tenter de réparer ce vieux véhicule. |
| You stopped restoring this car. | Vous avez cessé de restaurer cette voiture. |
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