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J'ai décidé de démonter cette voiture classique.

J'ai décidé de démonter cette voiture classique.
I decided to dismantle this classic car.
From Lesson 272:Verbs followed by de (de + infinitive)·French

Questions & Answers about J'ai décidé de démonter cette voiture classique.

Why is there a de before démonter? Doesn't the infinitive already mean to dismantle?
In French, certain verbs need a connecting preposition like de or à before a following infinitive. The verb décider requires de when you say you decide to do something (décider de faire quelque chose). It simply acts as a bridge between the two verbs.
Is de the only preposition used to connect verbs? How do I know which one to use?
Some verbs take de (like décider de or oublier de), some take à (like apprendre à), and some connect directly with no preposition at all (like vouloir or pouvoir). There isn't a strict rule to guess them, so it is best to memorize the preposition as part of the verb itself.
What does the prefix dé- do in the verb démonter?
It reverses the action of the base verb. The verb monter can mean to assemble or put together. By adding the prefix dé-, it becomes démonter, which means to take apart or dismantle.
Why do we use cette here instead of ce?
Cette is the feminine singular word for this or that, matching the feminine noun voiture. You would use ce for a masculine noun, or cet for a masculine noun that starts with a vowel sound.

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