
  1. fille_heureuse Junior Member

    English, USA

    I'm not quite clear on the difference between "de" and "pour" after "remercier." Is it a question of whether it is followed by a verb or noun? (i.e. je vous remercie d'etre venu/je vous remercie pour le cadeau. However, I know that I have heard "merci de votre comprehension."
  2. Monsieur Hoole Senior Member

    Canada English
  3. massie1

    massie1 Senior Member

    Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Canada, French and English
    A very interesting question indeed.

    It all has to do with the rules surrounding les complements d'objets and the choices between "de" et "pour". Some complements are considered "complements d'objets", while others are considered "complements adverbiaux" relating to causality.

    Without going any deeper into grammar technicalities, here are a few rules as I understand them. Remercier de is the more traditional and classical way;remercier pour is, however, also acceptable;the only exception is the following: if the complement is a verb in the infinitive form, as in your example "je vous remercie d'etre venu", de must be used, and pour is not correct. It seems that for instances in daily life when we express some form of gratitude, remercier pour has become widely used and accepted.

    Hope this helps.

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