n What is the “passé composé”? n How do I conjugate the passé composé? n What are some common past participles? n How do I know when to use être and when to use avoir? par Mme Gareau T. Gareau
What is the Passé Composé? n The passé composé is a verb tense which is used to describe events which occurred in the past n It may be compared to the English past tense such as in sentences like: -- I ate my sandwich (or) -- I ate my sandwich (or) -- I have eaten my sandwich -- I have eaten my sandwich
How do I conjugate the passé composé? n The following equation may be used to help remember the order: ex: Tu + as + parlé ex: Tu + as + parlé (you have spoken) (you have spoken) Subject Conjugation of avoir or être Past participle
Je Tu Il/elle/on Nous Vous Ils/elles
Je Tu Il/elle/on Nous Vous Ils/elles
Some common past participles: Some common past participles: Regarder = regardé Parler = parlé Finir = fini Choisir = choisi Vendre = vendu Descendre = descendu most regular RE past participles end in u. Note that : all regular ER verbs have a past participle which ends in é, IR verbs have a past participle ending in i
n avoir (to have) = eu n être (to be) = été n faire (to do/make) = fait n prendre (to take) = pris n vouloir (to want) = voulu n devoir (must/ have to) = dû n courir (to run) = couru n détruire (to destroy) = détruit n voir (to see) = vu n savoir (to know) = su n lire (to read) = lu Some common irregular verbs and their past participles: Some common irregular verbs and their past participles:
House Verbs n There are several verbs, called House verbs or être verbs, which must be conjugated with être in the passé composé. n When using the verb être in the passe composé, changes need to be made to the past participle… Janet est allée à l’école. (feminine subj... + e) Nous sommes allés. (plural subj… + s) Elles sont allées. (plural/feminine… + es)
“House Verbs” or Dr. Mrs. Vandertramp (verbs which use être in the passé composé) Devenir ( become) Elles sont Revenir ( come again) Pierre est Monter ( go up) Il est Rentrer ( re-enter) Elles sont Sortir ( exit) Ils sont Venir ( come) Nous sommes Arriver ( arrive) Il est Naître ( be born) Ils sont Descendre ( go down) Elle est Entrer ( enter) Tu es Retourner ( return) Je suis Tomber ( fall) Jacqueline est Rester ( stay) Nicole est Aller ( go) Vous êtes Mourir ( die) Ils sont Partir ( leave) Je suis devenuesmonté revenu rentrées sortisvenu (e)sarrivénés descendue entré (e) retourné (e)tombée restéeallé (e)(s)mortsparti (e)
Les questions pour pratiquer: Conjugate each verb, paying special attention to the être verbs (*) n 1. Je + être = _________ ____________ ____________ (I have been) n 2. Tu + regarder = _________ ____________ ____________ (You have watched) n 3. Il + finir = _________ ____________ ____________ (He has finished) n 4. Nous + vendre = _________ ____________ ____________ (We have sold) n 5. Vous (f.pl) + descendre = _________ ____________ ____________ (You descended) * n 6. Ils (m. pl) + aller = _________ ____________ ____________ (They went) * n 7. Elles (f. pl) + partir = _________ ____________ ____________ ( They left) * n 8. Je (f. s.) + tomber = _________ ____________ ____________ (I fell) *
Le corrigé n 1. Je + être = (I have been) (I have been) n 2. Tu + regarder = (You have watched) n 3. Il + finir = (He has finished) n 4. Nous + vendre = (We have sold) (We have sold) n 5. Vous (f.pl) + descendre = (You descended) * (You descended) * n 6. Ils (m. pl) + aller = (They went) * n 7. Elles (f. pl) + partir = ( They left) * n 8. Je (f. s.) + tomber = (I fell) * (I fell) *