Double verbs

I understand the rule applied to two verbs used within the same clause of a sentence. i.e; the first verb is conjugated and the second is the infinitive.

par exemple;

Elle veut être.....

She wants to be.....

Fine so far. But what happens if a second clause of the same sentence contains two verbs also ?

Does the same rule apply to the second clause ? Does each clause "stand alone" ?

Or do all subsequent verbs within a sentence, after the conjugated one, need to be the infinitive ?

Can anyone help ?

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Permalink Reply by Neil Coffey on July 14, 2010 at 12:27pm

In general, every clause will have one conjugated verb. The situation is actually very similar to English. For eaxmple:

Marie espère pouvoir venir.
Marie hopes to be able to come

Marie espère qu'elle pourra venir.
Marie hopes she'll be able to come.

In the first case, we can say there is a single clause, with one subject and one conjugated verb.

In the second case, (qu')elle pourra venir counts as a sub-clause or "sentence within a sentence": it has its own subject and a conjugated verb.

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Permalink Reply by James H Smith on July 14, 2010 at 12:53pm

Thanks Neil. You have successfully explained to me in less words than it took my French teacher to tell me she didn't understand my question ! Before you suggest that I part company with my teacher, the Government's latest cut-backs have already decided that issue; with no subsidies I am forced to abandon formal studies. Self-study appears to be the only way forward; I will be using this site quite a lot in the future !! Merci beaucoup.