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perfect tense and reflexive verbs

perfect tense

  • Formed with the present tense of "avoir" or "être" + past participle

  • "Avoir" is used for most verbs, "être" is used for certain verbs of motion and reflexive verbs

  • Past participles have different endings for regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs

  • Used to describe completed actions in the past

  • Can also be used to describe past events that have continued up until the present

  • Negation is formed with "ne" + auxiliary verb + "pas" eg. je n’ai pas mange

  • subject - who did it?

  • auxiliary verb - avoir or etre

  • past participle - version of the verb in the past

reflexive verbs

  • Reflexive verbs are used when the subject and object of a sentence are the same.

  • In French, reflexive verbs are formed by adding "se" before the infinitive verb.

  • Reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) are used with reflexive verbs to indicate who is performing the action on themselves.

  • Reflexive verbs are used to describe actions related to personal care, emotions, and daily routines.

  • in the past, an example is je me suis reveille

dr and mrs van der tramp

  • Dr and Mrs Van Der Tramp verbs are a group of French verbs that use être as their auxiliary verb in the passé composé tense.

  • The acronym "Dr and Mrs Van Der Tramp" stands for the first letter of each verb in the group.

  • The verbs are: Devenir, Revenir, Monter, Rester, Sortir, Venir, Aller, Naître, Descendre, Entrer, Retourner, Tomber, Rentrer, Arriver, Mourir, Partir.

  • These verbs indicate a change of state, movement, or a change of location.

  • They must agree in gender and number with the subject of the sentence in the passé composé tense.

Devenir

To become

devenu.e.s

Revenir

To come back

revenu.e.s

Monter

To go up

monté.e.s

Rester

To stay

resté.e.s

Sortir

To go out

sorti.e.s

Venir

To come

venu.e.s

Arriver

To arrive

arrivé.e.s

Naître

To be born

né.e.s

Descendre

To go down

descendu.e.s

Entrer

To enter

entré.e.s

Retourner

To return

retourné.e.s

Tomber

To fall

tombé.e.s

Rentrer

To return

rentré.e.s

Aller

To go

allé.e.s

Mourir

To die

mort.e.s

Partir

To leave

parti.e.s

irregular perfect verbs

apprendre

to learn

j’ai appris

avoir

to have

j’ai eu

boire

to drink

j’ai bu

comprendre

to understand

j’ai compris

conduire

to drive

j’ai conduit

connaître

to know/meet

j’ai connu

croire

to believe

j’ai cru

devoir

to have to

j’ai dû + inf

dire

to say [that]

j’ai dit [que]

disparaître

to disappear

j’ai disparu

écrire

to write

j’ai écrit

Être

to be

J’ai été

faire

to do/make

j’ai fait

lire

to read

j’ai lu

mettre

to put

j’ai mis

ouvrir

to open

j’ai ouvert

pouvoir

to be able to

j’ai pu + inf

prendre

to take

j’ai pris

recevoir

to receive

j’ai reçu

rire

to laugh

j’ai ri

vivre

to live

j’ai vécu

voir

to see

j’ai vu

vouloir

to want

j’ai voulu + inf

perfect tense and reflexive verbs

perfect tense

  • Formed with the present tense of "avoir" or "être" + past participle

  • "Avoir" is used for most verbs, "être" is used for certain verbs of motion and reflexive verbs

  • Past participles have different endings for regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs

  • Used to describe completed actions in the past

  • Can also be used to describe past events that have continued up until the present

  • Negation is formed with "ne" + auxiliary verb + "pas" eg. je n’ai pas mange

  • subject - who did it?

  • auxiliary verb - avoir or etre

  • past participle - version of the verb in the past

reflexive verbs

  • Reflexive verbs are used when the subject and object of a sentence are the same.

  • In French, reflexive verbs are formed by adding "se" before the infinitive verb.

  • Reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) are used with reflexive verbs to indicate who is performing the action on themselves.

  • Reflexive verbs are used to describe actions related to personal care, emotions, and daily routines.

  • in the past, an example is je me suis reveille

dr and mrs van der tramp

  • Dr and Mrs Van Der Tramp verbs are a group of French verbs that use être as their auxiliary verb in the passé composé tense.

  • The acronym "Dr and Mrs Van Der Tramp" stands for the first letter of each verb in the group.

  • The verbs are: Devenir, Revenir, Monter, Rester, Sortir, Venir, Aller, Naître, Descendre, Entrer, Retourner, Tomber, Rentrer, Arriver, Mourir, Partir.

  • These verbs indicate a change of state, movement, or a change of location.

  • They must agree in gender and number with the subject of the sentence in the passé composé tense.

Devenir

To become

devenu.e.s

Revenir

To come back

revenu.e.s

Monter

To go up

monté.e.s

Rester

To stay

resté.e.s

Sortir

To go out

sorti.e.s

Venir

To come

venu.e.s

Arriver

To arrive

arrivé.e.s

Naître

To be born

né.e.s

Descendre

To go down

descendu.e.s

Entrer

To enter

entré.e.s

Retourner

To return

retourné.e.s

Tomber

To fall

tombé.e.s

Rentrer

To return

rentré.e.s

Aller

To go

allé.e.s

Mourir

To die

mort.e.s

Partir

To leave

parti.e.s

irregular perfect verbs

apprendre

to learn

j’ai appris

avoir

to have

j’ai eu

boire

to drink

j’ai bu

comprendre

to understand

j’ai compris

conduire

to drive

j’ai conduit

connaître

to know/meet

j’ai connu

croire

to believe

j’ai cru

devoir

to have to

j’ai dû + inf

dire

to say [that]

j’ai dit [que]

disparaître

to disappear

j’ai disparu

écrire

to write

j’ai écrit

Être

to be

J’ai été

faire

to do/make

j’ai fait

lire

to read

j’ai lu

mettre

to put

j’ai mis

ouvrir

to open

j’ai ouvert

pouvoir

to be able to

j’ai pu + inf

prendre

to take

j’ai pris

recevoir

to receive

j’ai reçu

rire

to laugh

j’ai ri

vivre

to live

j’ai vécu

voir

to see

j’ai vu

vouloir

to want

j’ai voulu + inf

robot