Summary French Grammar- Simple Past/Preterite/Passé Composé (A Level)

French Grammar- The Past Tense- Le Passé Composé


●​ The passé composé is a compound verb used to express the past
tense.
●​ Depending on the verb, it can be formed in two ways.
○​ Avoir + past participle (most usually)
○​ Être + past participle (with select verbs)
●​ Either 'avoir' or 'être' acts as the auxiliary verb.
●​ It can be translated as the preterite in English (eg. I did) or the perfect
tense (eg. I have done)
●​ Used to show that something took place at an exact moment in time, or
to show its relevance.
○​ Eg. J'ai mangé à onze heures.
I ate at 11 o'clock. (Here, it is being used to refer to a specific
time).
●​ Eg. J'ai mangé.
I have eaten. (Here it is showing relevance to the present- one has
eaten and so is no longer hungry).


Avoir
J'ai Nous avons

Tu as Vous avez

Il a Ils ont


Être
Je suis Nous sommes

Tu es Vous êtes

Il est Ils sont

, Forming The Past Participle- Regular Past Participles


●​ ER verbs
○​ Remove '-er'
○​ Add '-é'
○​ Eg. Regarder -> Regardé
●​ IR verbs
○​ Remove '-ir'
○​ Add '-i'
○​ Eg. Finir -> Fini
●​ RE verbs
○​ Remove '-re'
○​ Add '-u'
○​ Eg. Descendre -> Descendu


Irregular Past Participles


Important to memorise!


Avoir Eu

Être Été

Faire Fait

Dire Dit

Prendre Pris

Mettre Mis

Voir Vu

Boire Bu

Pouvoir Pu