Perfect tenses in French describe completed actions, with the passé composé used for past events and the plus-que-parfait for actions completed before another past event.
Passé Composé
The passé composé expresses specific, completed actions in the past.
Formation
- Use present tense of auxiliary verb (avoir or être)
- Add past participle of the main verb
Usage
- Describes completed actions or events
- Can indicate a change of state
- Used for actions with a clear time frame or sequence
Examples
| French Pronoun | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| Je | J’ai mangé une pomme. | I ate an apple. |
| Elle | Elle est partie tôt. | She left early. |
| Nous | Nous avons vu le film. | We saw the movie. |
Plus-que-parfait
The plus-que-parfait describes actions that were completed before another past action.
Formation
- Use imperfect tense of auxiliary verb (avoir or être)
- Add past participle of the main verb
Usage
- Indicates an action completed prior to another past action
- Often appears in storytelling or recounting sequences
Examples
| French Pronoun | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| J’ | J’avais fini mes devoirs avant de sortir. | I had finished my homework before going out. |
| Ils | Ils étaient déjà partis quand je suis arrivé. | They had already left when I arrived. |
What is the main function of the plus-que-parfait?
to describe an action completed before another past action
Plus-que-parfait is used to indicate that one past action was completed before another past action took place.
Past Participles
Past participles are crucial for perfect tenses. They vary by verb group and must agree in gender/number when using être or direct objects.
Regular Conjugations
| Verb Group | Example Verb | Past Participle | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -er | parler | parlé | J’ai parlé. | I spoke. |
| -ir | finir | fini | Elle a fini. | She finished. |
| -re | vendre | vendu | Nous avons vendu. | We sold. |
Irregular Examples
| Infinitive | Past Participle | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| être | été | J’ai été malade. | I was sick. |
| avoir | eu | Ils ont eu faim. | They were hungry. |
| faire | fait | Tu as fait tes devoirs. | You did your homework. |
| partir | parti(e) | Elle est partie tôt. | She left early. |
Agreement Rules
When using être, past participles agree in gender and number. With avoir, agreement occurs if a direct object precedes the verb.
Examples
| Pronoun | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| Je (f.) | Je suis partie. | I left. |
| Ils | Ils sont allés. | They went. |
| Je | Les lettres que j’ai écrites | The letters that I wrote |
With the auxiliary être, how do past participles agree?
match the subject’s gender and number
When conjugated with être, past participles must agree in gender and number with the subject (e.g., partie, partis).
Summary
- Use passé composé for completed past actions
- Use plus-que-parfait for actions completed before another past action
- Choose auxiliary avoir or être based on main verb
- Apply agreement rules for past participles carefully
How do you choose between avoir and être as the auxiliary verb?
avoir is default; être is for certain verbs (movement/reflexive)
Most verbs use avoir. Être is used with reflexive verbs and certain verbs of movement or change of state (e.g., aller, partir).
Flashcards (1 of 15)
- English Example: I ate an apple.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
