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Vu or vues, entendu or entendues before an infinitive?

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Compare the singers you heard with the songs you heard sung. Use an actor test for vu and entendu, then check six agreement choices.

In short

With vu and entendu before an infinitive, agree with a preceding direct object when it performs the infinitive: les chanteuses que j’ai entendues chanter. Keep the participle unchanged when that noun receives the action: les chansons que j’ai entendu chanter.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

Three singers rehearse while a listener watches.
The performers bring les chanteuses que j’ai entendues chanter to life. Illustration: Atelier

Vu et entendu · qui fait l’action ?

1 · The performers come first

Ask who sings, runs or dances. Here the preceding direct object also performs the infinitive.

Les danseuses que j’ai vues danser sont venues saluer.The female dancers I saw dancing came to take a bow.

Les enfants que j’ai entendus rire étaient ravis.The children I heard laughing were delighted.

2 · The thing acted on comes first

Someone performs or sings these works. The works are the objects of the infinitive.

Les pièces que j’ai vu jouer étaient courtes.The plays I saw performed were short.

Les chansons que j’ai entendu chanter étaient anciennes.The songs I heard sung were old.

3 · The object must precede the participle

A following object gives no agreement with avoir, even when it performs the infinitive.

J’ai entendu les chanteuses répéter.I heard the female singers rehearsing.

4 · Keep causative fait unchanged

Fait followed by an infinitive stays unchanged in the causative construction. Give it its own rule.

Les musiciennes que j’ai fait venir sont ici.The female musicians I had come over are here.

Does the past participle agree before an infinitive?

J’ai entendu les chanteuses ; elles chantaient.

I heard the female singers; they were singing.

The singers perform chanter: les chanteuses que j’ai entendues chanter.

J’ai entendu quelqu’un chanter ces chansons.

I heard someone sing these songs.

The songs receive the action: les chansons que j’ai entendu chanter.

Question 1No account needed
The female runners themselves run. Choose the agreement.Les coureuses que j’ai ___ courir sont arrivées.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

vues. The feminine plural coureuses perform courir, so vues agrees with them.

Question 2No account needed
People perform the plays. Complete the sentence.Les pièces que nous avons ___ jouer étaient drôles.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

vu. The plays are performed by people. They receive the action of jouer, so vu stays unchanged.

Question 3No account needed
Complete the sentence about children laughing.Les enfants que tu as ___ rire sont mes voisins.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

entendus. The children perform rire. The preceding masculine plural object gives entendus.

Question 4No account needed
The object comes after the participle.Nous avons ___ les actrices répéter.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

entendu. With avoir, this following object gives no agreement: entendu les actrices.

Question 5No account needed
Someone sings the songs.Les chansons qu’elle a ___ chanter lui plaisent.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

entendu. The songs receive the action of chanter, so the perception participle stays entendu.

Question 6No account needed
Complete the causative construction.Les actrices que j’ai ___ venir attendent ici.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

fait. Causative fait stays unchanged before an infinitive, including venir.

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