French: Passe Compose?

Question

How do know if you use etre or avoir in the passe compose?

Thanks in advance!!!!

Answer 1

There are seventeen verbs that use etre in the passe compose. All of the others use avoir. You can identify the ones that use etre with the code DR MRS VAN DER TRAMP(P). These verbs are devenir, revenir, mourir, retourner, sortir, venir, aller, arriver, naitre, descendre, rentrer, entrer, tomber, rester, monter, partir, and sometimes passer. You can tell whether a verb uses etre by whether or not it is intransitive, meaning it is not followed by a direct object. Passer is not always followed by a direct object, so depending on how you use it, it could be used with etre or avoir. For example, j'ai passe l'examen, but je suis passee du temps avec mes amis. Also, reflexive verbs like s'amuser (to have fun) use etre in the passe compose - Je me suis amusee. Don't forget that you have to make the agreement with the subject on your verb. If you use a feminine subject, then add an e, and if plural add an s. For example, Nadia et Delphine sont allees au musee. If you have more questions, let me know!

Answer 2

The easiest way: if there is a movement or a change, you use être (for rester/to stay, you have to imagine you would like to leave but you decide not to), for the other verbs, avoir.
And if the verb is in a pronominal form (se laver, se sécher, se lever...), you use être.
NB: passer if indicating a movement is with être, if not (passer du temps is to spend some time), avoir.

Answer 3

Theresa P is right on the money, EXCEPT for one of her examples: "je suis passée du temps avec mes amis" is wrong, wrong, wrong. You would say, "j'ai passé du temps avec mes amis" (I spent time with my friends), but "je suis passée chez un ami" (I went by a friend's house). Theresa P must have been truly distracted there, because the rest of her explanation is impeccable... although I do wish she had used accented characters: être, passé composé, naître, etc.

As for Christopher S, he was doing okay until he mistakenly stated that transitive verbs use the auxiliary 'être' (they use 'avoir'; intransitive verbs use 'être'), and then went on to translate "Nous sommes allés" with "I went" instead of "We went."

Answer 4

Both être and avoir are used in passé composé. Most verbs use avoir while there are verb, usually transitive and reflexive ones, that use être.

J'ai mangé - I ate.
L'avez-vous vue ? = Have you seen her?
Nous sommes allés au théâtre - I went to the theater.
Il s'est coupé le doigt - He cut his finger.

Answer 5

inclusive of your modern-day order: "J'ai pu ne pas sortir" might effectively say in english "i replaced into able to no longer depart" mutually as this could be available in english, it somewhat is no longer available in french (and bear in mind ne pas is going around the conjugated verb, until eventually you're wishing to negate an infinitive wherein case the ne pas is going in front of the infinitive verb) so i'm assuming you prefer to declare this english sentence in French: "i replaced into no longer able to depart"/"i could no longer depart" if it somewhat is the case, then the sentence would desire to be: "Je n'ai pas pu sortir" participe passé de pouvoir = pu pouvoir takes the auxillary of "avoir" So 1st guy or woman singular variety (Je) = ai pu The negation "ne pas" is going around the CONJUGATED verb. So in this sentence, the only conjugated verb may be "ai" hence, je n'ai pas pu sortir. P.S. you surely could have 2 verbs in a sentence (the two in French and in English). In french in spite of the undeniable fact that, possible in no way have 2 CONJUGATED verbs in a sentence (i think of its the comparable in English too) P.P.S sorry for the long and technical answer! yet with french, grammar would desire to learn with an iron rod!

Answer 6

Avoir
Je - ai eu
Tu - as eu
Il - a eu
Elle - a eu
Nous - avons eu
Vous - Avez eu
Ils -ont eu
Elles -ont eu


Etre
Je -suis ete (accent on e(s))
tu - as ete
il/elle - est ete
nous - sommes ete
vous - etes ete (accent on etre on first e)
ils/elles - sont ete