Compound Past in French

The compound past tense, or the passé composé in French, is used to describe events that happened and were completed in the past or happened in the past and continue in the present.

In French, this tense covers both the present perfect and the simple past tenses in English, that is, “I spoke” and “I have spoken” are both translated to the same tense in French.

Conjugation
- Verbs that use “Avoir” vs. Verbs that use “Être”
  - #1: Some Intransitive Verbs related to Motion or Transformation
  - Some intransitive verbs related to motion (e.g., to go, to come, to return, to enter, to leave, to fall, to enter, etc.) and a few others related to change or transformation (e.g., to become, to be born, to die, to lose weight, etc.).
- Verbs that use the Auxiliary “Être”: Transitive vs. Intransitive
  - #2: Reflexive Verbs
  - All reflexive verbs, covered in detail in Level IV, Lesson 3, e.g., “s’appeler” (to call oneself), “se laver” (to wash oneself), etc.
Irregular Past Participles
Using the Past Participle as an Adjective
Examples of the compound past “passé composé”
Level III – Elementary

Conjugation

The compound past is a compound tense, meaning it requires an auxiliary verb. In English, we use the verb “to have” in the present tense as an auxiliary to form the present perfect tense, e.g., “I have done my homework.”

In French, some verbs use the auxiliary “avoir” (to have), while others use the auxiliary “être” (to be) in the present tense, followed by the past participle.

The past participle of regular verbs using the auxiliary “avoir” (to have) is formed by adding the appropriate suffix for “-er,” “-ir,” and “-re” verbs.

“-er” verbs	“avoir” in the present tense	“verb stem” + “-é”
“-ir” verbs		“verb stem” + “-i”
“-re” verbs		“verb stem” + “-u”

The past participle of regular verbs using the auxiliary “être” (to be) is formed in a similar way. One additional requirement here is that the suffix of the past participle must agree with the subject in gender and number, that is, the past participle essentially requires the treatment of an adjective.

“-er” verbs	“être” in the present tense	“verb stem” + “-é”/ “-ée”/ “-és”/ “-ées”
“-ir” verbs		“verb stem” + “-i”/ “-ie”/ “-is”/ “-ies”
“-re” verbs		“verb stem” + “-u”/ “-ue”/ “-us”/ “-ues”

Let us look at some examples of verbs conjugated using the auxiliary “avoir”:

		-er ending e.g., parler	-ir ending e.g., finir	-re ending e.g., vendre
j’	ai	parlé	fini	vendu
tu	as
il/elle/on	a
nous	avons
vous	avez
ils/elles	ont

Here are some more examples:

		Examples
j’	ai	J’ai visité l’Egypte l’année dernière. I visited* Egypt last year.*
tu	as	Tu as terminé ton travail. You have finished* your work.*
il/elle/on	a	Il a parlé avec sa mère. He spoke* with his mother.*
nous	avons	Nous avons mangé toute la nourriture. We have eaten* all the food.*
vous	avez	Je suis sûr que vous m’avez entendu hier soir. I am sure you heard* me last night.*
ils/elles	ont	Ils ont travaillé ici pendant deux ans. They worked* here for two years.*

Notice that in some of these examples, the compound past in French corresponds to the present perfect, whereas in others it corresponds to the simple past tense depending on the context.

Now, let us look at some examples of verbs conjugated using the auxiliary “être”:

		-er ending e.g., aller	-ir ending e.g., partir	-re ending e.g., descendre
je	suis	allé(e)	parti(e)	descendu(e)
tu	es	allé(e)	parti(e)	descendu(e)
il/on	est	allé	parti	descendu
elle	est	allée	partie	descendue
nous	sommes	allé(e)s	parti(e)s	descendu(e)s
vous	êtes	allé(e)s	parti(e)s	descendu(e)s
ils	sont	allés	partis	descendus
elles	sont	allées	parties	descendues

Here are some more examples:

		Examples
je	suis	Je suis allé à la gym la semaine dernière. I went* to the gym last week.*
tu	es	Tu es parti tôt hier soir. You left* early last night.*
il/elle/on	est	Elle est tombée dans les escaliers. She fell down* the stairs.*
nous	sommes	Nous sommes entrés dans la salle. We have entered* the room.*
vous	êtes	Vous êtes arrivés tard hier soir. You arrived* late last night.*
ils/elles	sont	Ils sont sortis ensemble hier. They went out* together yesterday.*

Verbs that use “Avoir” vs. Verbs that use “Être”

Finally, you are perhaps wondering when to use the auxiliary “avoir” and the auxiliary “être” to form the past participle. The vast majority of French verbs, including all transitive[1] non-reflexive verbs, are conjugated using the auxiliary “avoir.”

[1] A verb is transitive if it requires an object. For example, the “to bring” can only be transitive, because the meaning is not complete without an object, e.g., “I bring.”

Thus, it is easier to memorize the verbs that use “être.” There are two main categories of verbs that use the auxiliary “être”:

aller	to go	échapper	to escape
arriver	to arrive	descendre	to go down or descend
tomber	to fall	tourner	to turn
entrer	to enter	retourner revenir rentrer	to return^[2]
partir	to leave	sortir	to go out
monter	to climb or go up	venir	to come
rester	to stay	demeurer	to remain
naître	to be born	mourir	to die
devenir	to become	passer	to pass
diminuer	to diminish	maigrir	to lose weight

[2] The three verbs “retourner,” “revenir,” and “rentrer” can all be used to mean “to return”:

1. The verb “retourner” means “to go back to where the speaker is not,” e.g., “J’habitais à Paris quand j’étais jeune. Je vais y retourner cet été” (I lived in Paris when I was young. I will return this summer). It can also mean “to return (something),” e.g., “Je vais retourner le livre demain” (I will return the book tomorrow).

2. The verb “revenir” means “to return to where the speaker is, that is, to come back,” e.g., “Il est déjà parti mais il va bientôt revenir” (He has already left but will return soon).

3. The verb “rentrer” means “to return (home),” where “home” can refer to a house, country, place of residence, etc., e.g., “Je vais rentrer chez moi à midi” (I will return home at noon).

Verbs that use the Auxiliary “Être”: Transitive vs. Intransitive

Remember that all the verbs above that use “être” are either motion or transformation-related. However, not all motion and transformation-related verbs use “être.” This should only serve as a guideline to help you memorize the verbs in this category.

Notice that the above verbs use “être” only when they are in intransitive form, that is when there is no direct object acted upon. If the verb is transitive, “avoir” must be used. For example:

Verb	Example
retourner to return	Il est retourné au travail hier.	He returned* to work yesterday.*
retourner to return	J’ai retourné l’enveloppe.	I returned* the envelope.*
passer to pass or spend	Je suis passé par le parc.	I passed* by the park.*
passer to pass or spend	J’y ai passé deux jours.	I spent* two days there.*
entrer to enter	Il est entré dans la pièce.	He entered* the room.*
entrer to enter	Il a entré les données dans le fichier.	He entered* the data into the file.*

#2: Reflexive Verbs

All reflexive verbs, covered in detail in Level IV, Lesson 3, e.g., “s’appeler” (to call oneself), “se laver” (to wash oneself), etc.

Irregular Past Participles

Some verbs have irregular past participles and need to be memorized.

Verb	Past Participle	Meaning	Examples
acquérir	acquis	to acquire	Il a acquis la nouvelle maison. He acquired* the new house.*
apprendre	appris	to learn	Elle a appris le français si vite. She learned* French so quickly.*
avoir	eu	to have	J’ai eu mal à la tête. I had* a headache.*
boire	bu	to drink	Combien as-tu bu? How much did you drink?
comprendre	compris	to understand	J’ai compris les consignes. I understood* the instructions.*
conduire	conduit	to drive	J’ai conduit trois heures. I drove* three hours.*
craindre	craint	to fear	Ils ont craint l’ennemi. They feared* the enemy.*
devoir	dû	must	J’ai dû me lever tôt aujourd’hui. I had* to wake up early today.*
dire	dit	to say	Ils nous ont dit que c’était fermé. They told* us it was closed.*
écrire	écrit	to write	Elle a écrit une lettre. She has written* a letter.*
être	été	to be	Nous avons été occupés. We have been* busy.*
faire	fait	to do	J’ai fait tout le travail. I have done* all the work.*
falloir	fallu	to have to	Il a fallu ajuster la taille. They had to* adjust the size.*
lire	lu	to read	Avez-vous lu cet article? Have you read* this article?*
mettre	mis	to put	J’ai mis les affaires dans le van. I put* the stuff in the van.*
mourir	mort	to die	Il est mort l’année dernière. He died* last year.*
naître	né	to be born	Il est né et a été élevé ici. He was* born and raised here.*
offrir	offert	to offer	Il a offert son aide. He offered* to help.*
ouvrir	ouvert	to lose	J’ai ouvert la porte. I have opened* the door.*
peindre	peint	to paint	Il a peint le paysage. He painted* the landscape.*
plaire	plu	to please	J’espère que l’endroit t’a plu. I hope you liked* the place.*
pleuvoir	plu	to rain	Il a plu hier soir. It rained* last night.*
pouvoir	pu	can	Nous n’avons pas pu sortir hier. We couldn’t go out yesterday.
prendre	pris	to take	Il a pris des photos de la voiture. He took* photos of the car.*
recevoir	reçu	to receive	Il a reçu ma lettre. He received* my letter.*
rire	ri	to laugh	J’ai ri quand ils me l’ont dit. I laughed* when they told me.*
savoir	su	to know	Il a su nous orienter. He knew* how to guide us.*
suivre	suivi	to follow	Elle a suivi les règles. She has followed* the rules.*
vivre	vécu	to live	Ils ont vécu ici pendant des années. They have lived* here for years.*
voir	vu	to see	Je ne l’ai pas vu. I haven’t seen* him.*
vouloir	voulu	to want	Elle a voulu juste une tranche. She wanted* just one slice.*

Using the Past Participle as an Adjective

Many adjectives in French are the same as the past participle, especially when active meaning is conveyed, for example:

ouvert	open	La porte est ouverte.	The door is open.
fermé	closed	La fenêtre est fermée.	The window is closed.
corrompu	corrupt	Ce politicien est corrompu.	This politician is corrupt.
réveillé	awake	Je suis réveillé.	I am awake.

Examples of the compound past “passé composé”

Let’s consider the conjugation of the following three verbs in the compound past, i.e., passé composé: “rentrer” (to return), “savoir” (to know), “rester” (to stay), “écrire” (to write), and “sortir” (to exit).

1. “rentrer” in passé composé

The verb “rentrer,” like some other verbs related to motion (e.g., to go, to come, to return, to enter, to leave, to fall, to enter, etc.), use the auxiliary “être” followed by the past participle.

je	suis rentré(e)
tu	es rentré(e)
il	est rentré
elle	est rentrée
nous	sommes rentré(e)s
vous	êtes rentré(e)s
ils	sont rentrés
elles	sont rentrées

2. “savoir” in passé composé

The verb “savoir” uses the auxiliary “avoir” and the past participle is irregular: “su.”

j’	ai su
tu	as su
il/elle/on	a su
nous	avons su
vous	avez su
ils/elles	ont su

3. “rester” in passé composé

The verb “rester,” like other verbs related to motion (e.g., to go, to come, to return, to enter, to leave, to fall, to enter, to stay, etc.), use the auxiliary “être” followed by the past participle.

je	suis resté(e)
tu	es resté(e)
il	est resté
elle	est restée
nous	sommes resté(e)s
vous	êtes resté(e)s
ils	sont restés
elles	sont restées

4. “écrire” in passé composé

The verb “écrire” uses the auxiliary “avoir” and the past participle is irregular: “écrit.”

j’	ai écrit
tu	as écrit
il/elle/on	a écrit
nous	avons écrit
vous	avez écrit
ils/elles	ont écrit

5. “sortir” in passé composé

The verb “sortir,” like other verbs related to motion (e.g., to go, to come, to return, to enter, to leave, to fall, to enter, to stay, etc.), use the auxiliary “être” followed by the past participle.

je	suis sorti(e)
tu	es sorti(e)
il	est sorti
elle	est sortie
nous	sommes sorti(e)s
vous	êtes sorti(e)s
ils	sont sortis
elles	sont sorties

Next: The Verb “to Know”: “Savoir” vs. “Connaître”

Back to: French Lessons

Other lessons in Level III:

Level III – Elementary

1. Compound Past

2. The Verb “to Know”: “Savoir” vs. “Connaître”

3. Indefinite Adjectives & Pronouns

4. Conjunctions

5. Future Tense

6. Telling Time & Describing The Weather

7. Present Participle & Gerund

8. Adverbs

8.1. Other Adverbs & Adverbial Phrases

9. Directions

French 3.1. Compound Past

Table of Contents

Conjugation

Verbs that use “Avoir” vs. Verbs that use “Être”

Verbs that use the Auxiliary “Être”: Transitive vs. Intransitive

#2: Reflexive Verbs

All reflexive verbs, covered in detail in Level IV, Lesson 3, e.g., “s’appeler” (to call oneself), “se laver” (to wash oneself), etc.

Irregular Past Participles

Using the Past Participle as an Adjective

Examples of the compound past “passé composé”

1. “rentrer” in passé composé

2. “savoir” in passé composé

3. “rester” in passé composé

4. “écrire” in passé composé

5. “sortir” in passé composé

Level III – Elementary

Table of Contents

Conjugation

Verbs that use “Avoir” vs. Verbs that use “Être”

#1: Some Intransitive Verbs related to Motion or Transformation

Some intransitive verbs related to motion (e.g., to go, to come, to return, to enter, to leave, to fall, to enter, etc.) and a few others related to change or transformation (e.g., to become, to be born, to die, to lose weight, etc.).

Verbs that use the Auxiliary “Être”: Transitive vs. Intransitive

#2: Reflexive Verbs

All reflexive verbs, covered in detail in Level IV, Lesson 3, e.g., “s’appeler” (to call oneself), “se laver” (to wash oneself), etc.

Irregular Past Participles

Using the Past Participle as an Adjective

Examples of the compound past “passé composé”

1. “rentrer” in passé composé

2. “savoir” in passé composé

3. “rester” in passé composé

4. “écrire” in passé composé

5. “sortir” in passé composé

Level III – Elementary