Grammar

The passé composé, without the guesswork

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Understand the two-part pattern. Then build a sentence of your own.

A2Article5 min read
Try a quick check Read and practise freely
The idea, in one sentence

The passé composé presents a completed event in the past, using a present-tense helper and a past participle.

Build the two-part pattern

Change the helper to match the subject. Then add the past participle.

The two parts, at a glance
1 · Auxiliary / helperavonsavoir for nous
2 · Past participleregardéthe action: watched

Nous avons regardé un film.

We watched a film.

Quick CheckNo account needed
Choose the complete past-tense form.Hier, nous ___ un film.

Choose one answer. You can read the explanation at any time.

Read the answer and explanation

Nous avons regardé un film. The auxiliary is avons; the past participle is regardé.

Regardons is a present-tense form. Avons regarder is not the construction: use a past participle, not the infinitive.

Choose avoir or être

Most verbs use avoir. Learn the helper in a complete sentence.

Marcher uses avoir

J’ai marché jusqu’à la gare.

I walked to the station.

Aller uses être

Léa est allée à la gare.

Léa went to the station.

Movement alone does not choose the helper. Both examples describe movement.

Why does allée end in e?

Here, aller uses être and its past participle agrees with the subject. Léa is feminine singular, so allé becomes allée. Other constructions have their own agreement rules.

Compare auxiliary choices in more detail →

Find the past participle

For many regular -er verbs, replace -er with -é.

One regular pattern
parlerparlé

Infinitive → past participle. Irregular forms need their own examples.

Try recalling these three irregular participles before you reveal them.

  • Recall the past participleprendre → ?Reveal answer

    pris

    J’ai pris le train.

    I took the train.

  • Recall the past participlefaire → ?Reveal answer

    fait

    Nous avons fait une pause.

    We took a break.

  • Recall the past participlevoir → ?Reveal answer

    vu

    Tu as vu ce film ?

    Have you seen this film?

Fill the GapNo account needed
Complete with the past participle of prendre.J’ai ___ le train.

Enter only the missing word. Capitalisation and final punctuation are ignored.

Read the answer and explanation

Use pris, the past participle of prendre. The complete sentence is J’ai pris le train.

Make it negative

In standard written French, ne and pas surround the helper.

Keep the past participle outside the negative
Jen’negativeaihelperpasnegativeoublié.past participle

I did not forget.

What changes in informal speech?

Speakers often leave out ne. Keep it when practising the full written pattern here.

Build a sentence

Use what you have noticed: subject + helper, then the past participle.

Build the SentenceNo account needed
Build “We took the train.”

Select words in order. Select a placed word to remove it; no dragging is needed.

Read the answer and explanation

The sentence is Nous avons pris le train. Nous takes avons; pris is the past participle of prendre.

With a different subject: J’ai pris le train. The helper changes; pris stays the same in these examples.

Keep going

French examples are marked in their original language. Answer explanations are available before or after an attempt.