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Forming past tense in french

Updated: 4/26/2024
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Wiki User

14y ago

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Basically you have two auxiliary verbs. to be (etre) and to have (avoir) Avoir is the one most used, and to be is only used in about 10 verbs such as to go (aller) to stay (rester) to leave (partir) and to go out (sortir) and a few others.

Rules of verbs
verbs that end in er ( e.g. chanter-to sing) change to é (chanté)
verbs that end in re ( vendre -to sell) change to u (vendu)
verbs that end in ir ( finir-to finish) change to i (fini)


irregular verbs

lire - (to read) changes to lu
boire - (to drink) changes to bu
Faire - (to do) changes to fait
voir -(to see) changes to vu

Forming the past tense with the auxilary avoir

auixilary+verb=past tense :)

Avoir-the auxilary

  1. I have = J'ai
  2. You have = Tu as
  3. He has = Il a
  4. She has = Elle a
  5. We have = Nous avons
  6. You have = Vous avez
  7. They have = Ils ont/elle ont
For example:

J'ai + chanté = I have sung (I sang)
Auxilary+verb =past tense

Tu as + fini =you have finished
Auxiliary + verb = past tense.

Etre- the auxiliary

  1. I am = Je suis
  2. You are = Tu es
  3. He is = Il est
  4. She is = Elle est
  5. We are = Nous sommes
  6. You are = Vous êtes
  7. They are = Ils sont/elle sont
With the auxiliary etre you have to say whether it is fem. or masc. or plural. but with avoir you don't. Remember that you only use this auxiliary with some verbs

VERBS USED WITH ETRE


descendre to descend / go downstairs

entrer to enter

monter to climb

mourir to die

naî tre to be born

partir to leave

passer to pass

rester to stay

retourner to return

sortir to go out

tomber to fall

venir to come

these are the words you use with etre

past tense

je suis + sorti(e) = i went out
Auxiliary + verb = past tense

Elle est + tombée=past tense (fem.)
Auxiliary+verb =past tense

hope this helped :)
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14y ago
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AnswerBot

6d ago

In French, the past tense can be formed using different verb tenses such as the passé composé or the imparfait. The passé composé is formed with the auxiliary verb "avoir" or "être" followed by the past participle of the main verb, while the imparfait is formed by adding specific endings to the verb's root. It's important to learn the conjugation patterns for regular and irregular verbs to correctly form the past tense in French.

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