Fiche à imprimer : Verbes et prépositions : listen to, wait for, look after...

Les verbes qui demandent une préposition

Anglais	Français	Exemple
listen to	écouter	I'm listening to music.
wait for	attendre	We're waiting for the bus.
look at	regarder	Look at that bird!
look for	chercher	I'm looking for my keys.
look after	s'occuper de, garder	She looks after her brother.
depend on	dépendre de	It depends on the weather.
belong to	appartenir à	This bag belongs to me.
think about / of	penser à	I'm thinking about you.
pay for	payer (quelque chose)	I paid for the tickets.
agree with	être d'accord avec	I agree with you.
laugh at	se moquer de, rire de	Don't laugh at me!
apologize for	s'excuser de	He apologized for being late.

Attention : pas de préposition en anglais

Ces verbes ont une préposition en français, mais pas en anglais :

Français	Anglais
téléphoner à quelqu'un	phone / call someone
répondre à une question	answer a question
avoir besoin de	need
entrer dans	enter (a room)
discuter de	discuss something
se souvenir de	remember
jouer au football	play football

I'll phone my grandmother. (et non ~~phone to~~) She answered the question. (et non ~~answered to~~)

Je vais téléphoner à ma grand-mère. Elle a répondu à la question.

Autre piège : I agree (je suis d'accord) est un verbe : on ne dit jamais ~~I am agree~~.

Mise en situation : à la maison

Mum : What are you looking for?

Qu'est-ce que tu cherches ?

Ella : My headphones. I want to listen to my new playlist.

Mon casque. Je veux écouter ma nouvelle playlist.

Mum : Look on the sofa. And don't forget: you're looking after your brother tonight.

Regarde sur le canapé. Et n'oublie pas : tu gardes ton frère ce soir.

Ella : I know, I know. It depends on what time you come back!

Je sais, je sais. Ça dépend de l'heure à laquelle tu rentres !

À retenir

listen to, wait for, look at / for / after, depend on, belong to, agree with.
Sans préposition : phone someone, answer a question, need, enter, discuss, remember.
On dit I agree (et non I am agree).

Exercice 1 : Verbes et prépositions : exercice 1 (QCM)

I'm listening ___ music.
1. for
2. to
3. at
We're waiting ___ the bus.
1. after
2. for
3. on
Look ___ that bird!
1. for
2. after
3. at
I'm looking ___ my keys. Have you seen them?
1. after
2. for
3. at
She looks ___ her little brother after school.
1. after
2. at
3. for
It depends ___ the weather.
1. from
2. of
3. on
This book belongs ___ me.
1. at
2. of
3. to
« Je vais téléphoner à ma grand-mère. »
1. I'm going to phone at my grandmother.
2. I'm going to phone my grandmother.
3. I'm going to phone to my grandmother.
« Il a répondu à la question. »
1. He answered to the question.
2. He answered the question.
3. He answered at the question.
« Nous avons besoin d'aide. »
1. We need help.
2. We need of help.
3. We have need of help.

Exercice 2 : Verbes et prépositions : exercice 2 (à compléter)

Are you listening .......................... me?
I'm waiting .......................... my friends.
What are you looking .......................... ? — My phone.
Who looks .......................... your dog when you're on holiday?
Don't laugh .......................... me!
It depends .......................... you.
Who does this bag belong .......................... ?
I'm thinking .......................... my holidays.
She apologized .......................... being late.
Can I pay .......................... the tickets by card?

Exercice 3 : Verbes et prépositions : mise en situation

Tu cherches tes lunettes partout.
1. I'm looking my glasses.
2. I'm looking for my glasses.
3. I'm looking at my glasses for.
Tu dis à ton ami d'écouter cette chanson.
1. Listen to this song!
2. Hear at this song!
3. Listen this song!
Tu attends le bus depuis 20 minutes.
1. I've been waiting for the bus for 20 minutes.
2. I wait the bus since 20 minutes.
3. I'm waiting the bus for 20 minutes.
Tu vas téléphoner à ta mère.
1. I'm going to phone at my mum.
2. I'm going to call my mum.
3. I'm going to call to my mum.
Tu gardes ton petit frère ce soir.
1. I'm looking for my little brother tonight.
2. I'm keeping at my little brother tonight.
3. I'm looking after my little brother tonight.
Tu réponds que ça dépend du temps.
1. It depends from the weather.
2. It depends on the weather.
3. It depends of the weather.
Tu n'es pas d'accord avec ton ami.
1. I'm not agree with you.
2. I don't agree with you.
3. I don't agree to you.
Tu demandes à qui appartient ce sac.
1. Who belongs this bag at?
2. To who belongs this bag?
3. Who does this bag belong to?
Tu t'excuses d'être en retard.
1. I apologize to be late.
2. I excuse me for late.
3. I apologize for being late.
Tu demandes au professeur de répondre à ta question.
1. Could you answer to my question, please?
2. Could you answer my question, please?
3. Could you respond at my question?

Corrigé

Exercice 1

1. b) to · 2. b) for · 3. c) at · 4. b) for · 5. a) after · 6. c) on · 7. c) to · 8. b) I'm going to phone my grandmother. · 9. b) He answered the question. · 10. a) We need help.

Exercice 2

1. to · 2. for · 3. for · 4. after · 5. at · 6. on · 7. to · 8. about · 9. for · 10. for

Exercice 3

1. b) I'm looking for my glasses. · 2. a) Listen to this song! · 3. a) I've been waiting for the bus for 20 minutes. · 4. b) I'm going to call my mum. · 5. c) I'm looking after my little brother tonight. · 6. b) It depends on the weather. · 7. b) I don't agree with you. · 8. c) Who does this bag belong to? · 9. c) I apologize for being late. · 10. b) Could you answer my question, please?