Overview
This lesson covers the formation and use of the passé composé in French, presenting its rules, examples, and conjugation exercises.
Examples of Using the Passé Composé
- I talked with my friends.
- He bought a coffee.
- You spoke to a teacher.
- I went to Spain.
- I visited my friend Claire.
- You sent text messages to my friends.
- We watched TV.
- My friends played video games.
- I had breakfast.
- You passed an exam.
- You slept.
- She did not do her homework.
- I learned the periodic table in chemistry.
- I understood the French lesson.
- I read "To Kill a Mockingbird."
- The students wrote an essay for history.
- We lost our volleyball match.
Rules for Forming the Passé Composé
- First part: the subject (e.g., I, you, he, she, my friends).
- Second part: the auxiliary (verb avoir or être in the present tense).
- Third part: the past participle of the main verb.
- Examples of conjugated auxiliaries:
- être: je suis, tu es, il/elle/on est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils/elles sont.
- avoir: j’ai, tu as, il/elle/on a, nous avons, vous avez, ils/elles ont.
- Examples of past participles:
- manger: mangé — ends with -é for most -er verbs.
- perdre: perdu — ends with -u for most -re verbs.
- dormir: dormi — ends with -i for most -ir verbs.
Conjugation Exercises
- They lost their match.
- We listened to our mother.
- You passed your exam.
- You bought a coffee at Antoine's.
- She visited her grandparents.
- They spoke with their teacher.
- I chose to stay home this weekend.
- You took an exam.
Past Participles of Irregular Verbs
- boire: bu
- faire: fait
- lire: lu
- dormir: dormi
- mettre: mis
- écrire: écrit
- prendre: pris
- apprendre: appris
- comprendre: compris
- voir: vu
- être: été
- réussir: réussi
Conjugation of Irregular Verbs in the Passé Composé
- My parents had breakfast.
- They did their homework.
- We learned the passé composé.
- You understood the lesson.
- The students read The Little Prince.
- She wrote an essay.
- I drank water after the match.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Passé composé — past tense in French formed with an auxiliary (être or avoir) + past participle.
- Subject — person or thing performing the action (e.g., I, you, the students).
- Auxiliary — verb être or avoir used to form the passé composé.
- Past participle — verb form used with the auxiliary for the passé composé (e.g., mangé, perdu, dormi).
Action Items / Next Steps
- Learn the conjugations of auxiliaries and common past participles.
- Practice conjugating other regular and irregular verbs in the passé composé.
- Review the list of verbs that take être as an auxiliary.