VENIR AND PREPOSITIONS

J. L.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

VENIR AND PREPOSITIONS

I recently ran across a guideline which contradicts the quiz sentence "Il est venu pour voir Sarah" associated with this lesson!!

'Venir' is purportedly one of the verbs which does not take  ANY  preposition before the following infinitive  when the context is 'come 'to do 'action of the infinitive' ! So he came to do what.. to see Sarah!  So (according to that guideline ) the preposition 'pour' is at least superfluous here if not invalid! Please clarify.

Asked 3 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Both are correct. It's perfectly OK to say 'il est venu voir Sarah'. Using the preposition 'pour' emphasizes the intention, though.

Il est venu voir Sarah. -- He came to see Sarah.
Il est venu pour voir Sarah. -- He came in order to see Sarah.

J. L. asked:

VENIR AND PREPOSITIONS

I recently ran across a guideline which contradicts the quiz sentence "Il est venu pour voir Sarah" associated with this lesson!!

'Venir' is purportedly one of the verbs which does not take  ANY  preposition before the following infinitive  when the context is 'come 'to do 'action of the infinitive' ! So he came to do what.. to see Sarah!  So (according to that guideline ) the preposition 'pour' is at least superfluous here if not invalid! Please clarify.

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