Le passé composé

The perfect tense

Eg:
J’ai mangé une pizza
I have eaten/ate a pizza
Le passé composé
 Le passé composé or the perfect tense is a
past tense something we have done or
something that has happened. There is more
than one type of past tense but we use this
one to describe something that happened on a
particular occasion in the past.
 In English we can talk about the past using the
verb “to have” and a past participle. For
example “He has eaten all the biscuits.” We
can also say “ He ate all the biscuits.”
How to form the perfect tense (1)

 The perfect tense in French is formed

using the present tense of avoir (to
have) and a past participle.

 Il a mangé tous les petits gâteaux.

 Il a mangé = He ate/He has eaten

 Jai joué = I played/I have played

How to form the perfect tense (2)
 Present tense of avoir:  + past participle
I have = j’ai Verbs: er ir re
You have = tu as Take off: er ir re
He/She has = il/elle a And add: é i u
We have = nous avons Examples:
You have = vous avez Parler => parlé
They have = ils/elles ont Dormir => dormi
Répondre => répondu
Avoir is what we call an
auxiliary verb (=helpful verb) Most past participles in
because it helps form the English end in –ed.
perfect tense.
Past participles
 Using those rules, what would be the past
participles of these verbs?
2. Jouer
3. Manger
4. Finir
5. Vendre
6. Écouter
7. Perdre
8. Choisir
9. Attendre
10. Visiter
11. Inviter
Examples
 To form the perfect tense you put together the right
part of avoir and the past participle of the verb you are
using.

 J’ai mangé = I have eaten/I ate

 Tu as dormi où? = Where did you sleep?
 Il a vendu sa maison = He has sold/sold his house
 Nous avons dansé = We have dansed/We dansed
 Vous avez mangé le gâteau = You have eaten/ate
the cake
 Ils ont fini leurs devoirs = They have finished/finished
their homework
Who watched the film, complete these sentences by
adding the correct part of avoir.

1. Nous ______ regardé le film.

2. J’ ____ regardé le film.
3. Il _______ regardé le film.
4. Tu ______ regardé le film?
5. Ils _______ regardé le film.
6. Elle _______ regardé le film.
7. Elles n’ _____ pas regardé le film.
8. Vous _____ regardé le film?
9. Julie _______ regardé le film.
10. Mes parents n’ _____ pas regardé le film.