When the passé composé tense is formed in French, we use an auxiliary verb (either être or avoir) and a past participle of the conjugated verb. Sometimes, the past participle needs to agree with the subject.
French
English
Elle est entrée dans la pièce.
She entered the room.
Past Participle Used with Être
Rule 1: With the auxiliary verb être, the past participle agrees with the subject.
- When the subject is a male singular noun, the past participle remains the same:
French
English
Il est parti.
He left.
- When the subject is a female singular noun, -e is added to the end of the past participle:
French
English
Elle est partie.
She left.
- When the subject is a male plural noun, -s is added to the end of the past participle:
French
English
Ils se sont reposés.
They rested.
- When the subject is a female plural noun, -es is added to the end of the past participle:
French
English
Les filles sont arrivées.
The girls arrived.
Past Participle Used with Avoir
Rule 2: With the auxiliary verb avoir, the past participle usually doesn't agree with the subject.
French
English
Elle a mangé les chocolats.
She ate the chocolates.
Exception: When the past participle has to agree with this object in several situations:
- when it follows a direct object
French
English
Elle les a mangés.
She ate them.
- in questions where the object is mentioned before the participle
French
English
Quels chocolats a-t-elle mangés ?
What chocolates did she eat?
- in relative sentences with que
French
English
Les chocolats qu’elle a mangés.
The chocolates she ate.
Quiz
1/4
Elle a ___ une nouvelle voiture.
0
correct answers.