Asking someone TO DO something needs two prepositions at once.
To ask a person to do something, French stacks both: demander à quelqu’un de + infinitive. « J’ai demandé à Paul de venir » — I asked Paul to come. The à marks the person, the de introduces the action.
When the subject asks to do something themselves, the person drops out: demander à + infinitive — « je demande à partir » — I’m asking to leave. One preposition, not two, because there is nobody else involved.
💡 Focus at this level: demander à / demander de
1. Two people = à + de. « Demander à X de faire Y. »
2. One person = à + infinitive. « Je demande à voir. »
3. Say the whole frame aloud before slotting words in. The prepositions come as a package.
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