Passé composé

The passé composé tense describes action in the past that is COMPLETED

How to conjugate the passé compose with AVOIR

Remember! – The verbs in the passé compose tense consist of 2 words

What are these 2 words called? – They are:

•     The auxilliary (or ‘helper’) – the present tense conjugation of AVOIR; +
• .    The past participle – this tells what action has taken place.

How is the past participle constructed?

1.    For regular –er  verbs, remove the –er and substitute é: e.g. mangé

2.    For regular –ir verbs, remove the –ir and substitute i;e.g. fini

3.    For regular –re verbs, remove the –re and substitute u; e.g. vendu

What does a passé composé sentence look like?

1.   J’ai mangé = I ate

2.   Tu as fini = You finished

3.   Nous avons perdu = We lost
 How to conjugate the Passé Composé with ETRE

Remember! – The verbs in the passé compose tense consist of 2 words

What are these 2 words called? – They are:

•     The auxilliary (or ‘helper’) – the present tense conjugation of ETRE; +
• .    The past participle – this tells what action has taken place.

How is the past participle constructed?

1.    For regular –er  verbs, remove the –er and substitute é: e.g. mangé

2.    For regular –ir verbs, remove the –ir and substitute i;e.g. fini

3.    For regular –re verbs, remove the –re and substitute u; e.g. vendu

What does a passé composé sentence look like?

IMPORTANT RULE: When conjugating with ETRE, don’t forget –

The past participle must agree with the number and gender of the subject.

1.   Je suis allé (e) = I went

2.   Tu es arrivé (e)= You arrived

3.   Il est sorti = He went out

4.   Elle est sortie = She went out

5.   Nous sommes entrés OR Nous sommes entreés = we entered

6.   Vous êtes tombé OR Vous êtes tombé(s) OR Vous êtes tombé (e) OR Vous êtes tombé (es) = You fell

7.   Ils sont revenus = they came back

8. Elles sont revenues = they came back