Look at the following sentences and tell me if they are in the past or the present tense 1. I go to the swimming pool every Thursday. 1. I go to the swimming pool every Thursday. 2. Last Tuesday I went to the cinema to see James Bond. 2. Last Tuesday I went to the cinema to see James Bond. 3. I am eating my dinner now. 3. I am eating my dinner now. 4. Unfortunately I couldn’t go because I was ill. 4. Unfortunately I couldn’t go because I was ill. 5. My holiday to Europe encouraged me to learn another language 5. My holiday to Europe encouraged me to learn another language

Can you give me some examples of sentences in the past tense? Note them down. Can you give me some examples of sentences in the past tense? Note them down.

In French you need to know two verbs in order to form the past tense. In French you need to know two verbs in order to form the past tense. Avoir and Être Avoir and Être Can you remember what they mean? Can you remember what they mean?

Avoir Avoir What does it mean? What does it mean? When do we use avoir? When do we use avoir? J’ai Tu as Il a Elle a Nous avons Vous avez Ils ont Elles ont

Être Être What does it mean? What does it mean? When do we use être? When do we use être? Je suis Je suis Tu es Tu es Il est Il est Elle est Elle est Nous sommes Nous sommes Vous êtes Vous êtes Ils sont Ils sont Elles sont Elles sont

In the past tense in French some verbs take the verb avoir and some take être: The following verbs take être: The following verbs take être: M onter –To go up M onter –To go up R etourner –To return R etourner –To return S ortir – To go out S ortir – To go out V enir –To come V enir –To come A ller –To go A ller –To go N aître –To be born N aître –To be born D escendre –To go down D escendre –To go down E ntrer – to come in E ntrer – to come in R evenir – To come back R evenir – To come back T omber – To fall T omber – To fall R ester –To stay R ester –To stay A rriver – To arrive A rriver – To arrive M ourir To die M ourir To die P artir –to leave P artir –to leave

All the other verbs take avoir e.g. manger, jouer and étudier How do we form the past tense ? How do we form the past tense ? For most verbs, the perfect tense is made up of For most verbs, the perfect tense is made up of the present tense of avoir + the past participle

To form the past participles of regular verbs, follow these rules: To form the past participles of regular verbs, follow these rules: - ER verbs. For example: manger = mangé - ER verbs. For example: manger = mangé - IR verbs. For example: finir = fini - IR verbs. For example: finir = fini - RE verbs. For example: attendre = attendu - RE verbs. For example: attendre = attendu

The past tense of these verbs is therefore as follows: The past tense of these verbs is therefore as follows: Manger (je) = J’ai mangé Manger (je) = J’ai mangé – I ate/ I have eaten Finir (elle) = Elle a fini Finir (elle) = Elle a fini – she finished/she has finished Attendre (vous) = Vous avez attendu Attendre (vous) = Vous avez attendu – you waited/you have waited

Put the following verbs into the past tense: 1. Choisir (ils) 1. Choisir (ils) 2. Jouer (tu) 2. Jouer (tu) 3. vendre (je) 3. vendre (je) 4. dîner (nous) 4. dîner (nous) 5. acheter (je) 5. acheter (je) 6. attendre (elle) 6. attendre (elle) 7. louer (nous) 7. louer (nous) 8. finir (vous) 8. finir (vous)

Answer sheet: 1. Ils ont choisi 1. Ils ont choisi 2. Tu as joué 2. Tu as joué 3. J’ai vendu 3. J’ai vendu 4. Nous avons dîné 4. Nous avons dîné 5. J’ai acheté 5. J’ai acheté 6. Elle a attendu 6. Elle a attendu 7. Nous avons loué 7. Nous avons loué 8. Vous avez fini 8. Vous avez fini

A number of verbs have irregular past participles. Here are a few of the important ones: Avoir- to have – J’ai eu Avoir- to have – J’ai eu Boire- to drink- J’ai bu Boire- to drink- J’ai bu Croire- to believe- J’ai cru Croire- to believe- J’ai cru Dire- to say- J’ai dit Dire- to say- J’ai dit Écrire- to write- J’ai écrit Écrire- to write- J’ai écrit Être- to be- Jai été Être- to be- Jai été Faire- to do/to make- J’ai fait Faire- to do/to make- J’ai fait Lire- to read- J’ai lu Lire- to read- J’ai lu Prendre- to take- J’ai pris Prendre- to take- J’ai pris Voir- to see- J’ai vu Voir- to see- J’ai vu

A small number of verbs form the past tense with être i.e. the present tense of être + the past participle (refer back to list - Mrs Vandertramp) E.g. aller- Je suis allé(e)- I went E.g. aller- Je suis allé(e)- I went Why is there an option for an extra e? Why is there an option for an extra e? With these être verbs the past participle must agree with the subject of the sentence With these être verbs the past participle must agree with the subject of the sentence

Look at the past tense of arriver- to arrive Je suis arrivé(e) Je suis arrivé(e) Tu es arrivé(e) Tu es arrivé(e) Il/elle est arrivé(e) Il/elle est arrivé(e) Nous sommes arrivé(e)s Nous sommes arrivé(e)s Vous êtes arrivé(e)s Vous êtes arrivé(e)s Ils sont arrivés Ils sont arrivés Elles sont arrivées Elles sont arrivées Why is there an s on some of the stems? Why is there an s on some of the stems?

Some of the être past participles are irregular: Venir-to come- venu Venir-to come- venu Naître-to be born- né Naître-to be born- né Mourir-to die- mort Mourir-to die- mort

Put the following être verbs into the past tense: 1. Rester (je) 1. Rester (je) 2. Aller (il) 2. Aller (il) 3. Descendre (nous) 3. Descendre (nous) 4. Venir (elles) 4. Venir (elles) 5. Retourner (tu) 5. Retourner (tu) 6. Partir (vous) 6. Partir (vous) 7. Entrer (elle) 7. Entrer (elle)

1.Je suis resté(e) 2.Il est allé 3.Nous sommes descendu(e)s 4.Elles sont venues 5.Tu es retourné(e) 6.Vous êtes parti(e)s 7.Elle est entrée Answer sheet