1. WARM-UP
On your handout, fill in the blanks with the Être verbs that fit.
(Also fill in the blanks on the back.)
e_____
s_____
t______
a______ v____ r
p_____ a________
m______
r_______ r________
n_______
r_____
m_____
d________
d______
p_____
HOUSE OF ÊTRE
“(DR.&) MRS. VANDERTRAMP(P)”

2. ANSWERS HOUSE OF ÊTRE tomber arriver venir rentrer monter descendre
a______ v____ r
p_____ a________
m______
r_______ r________
n_______
tomber
r_____
m_____
d________
arriver
venir
rentrer
monter
descendre
rester
partir
aller
entrer
sortir
revenir
retourner
naître
d______
devenir
mourir
passer
HOUSE OF ÊTRE
“(DR.&) MRS. VANDERTRAMP(P)”

3. D V A R N M D R E R S T R A M P (P) evenir enir ller evenir aître
onter
escendre R E
ester
ntrer R S
entrer
ortir T
omber R
etourner A
rriver M
ourir P
artir
(P)
asser

4. Memorize the list ! Recognize that these are
How do you know what verbs to use “être” with ?
Memorize the list !
Recognize that these are
intransitive verbs of motion
or transition, where the
past participle describes
the state of the
subject.
(& thus agrees with subject)

5. Then, the past participle describes the state/action
How do you know what verbs to use “avoir” with ?
direct object
When there is a ____________
Then, the past participle
describes the state/action
acted upon the direct object.
Note: You will learn reflexive verbs later, and
they still use être when there’s a direct object;
however, there’s no agreement with the subject
when there’s a D.O. …. but that’s later…

6. NOTE:
There are a few of the “être” verbs on the list that CHANGE to using “avoir” under certain circumstances.
Watch the examples and figure out when that is….
(Hint: The meaning of the verb changes a little bit, too.)

7. Elle est montée.
Who is montée describing ?
(Who moved?)

8. How would you translate the sentence ?
Elle a monté les livres.
What is monté describing ?
(What moved?)
How would you translate the sentence ?

9. Elle est descendue.
Who is descendue describing ?
(Who moved?)

10. Elle a descendu les livres.
What is descendu describing ?
(What moved?)
How would you translate the sentence ?

11. Ils sont sortis.
Who is sortis describing ?
(Who moved?)

12. Ils ont sorti la poubelle.
How would you translate the sentence ?
What was “taken out” ?
What is “sorti” describing?

13. How would you translate the sentence ?
Il a sorti le chien.
How would you translate the sentence ?
What is sorti describing ?
(What moved?)

14. RECAP: Elle est montée. Elle a monté les livres. Elle est descendue.
Elle a descendu les livres.
Ils sont sortis.
Il a sorti le chien.
Note: (PP like an adjective)
There is no agreement with the D.O. because it hasn’t indicated what it’s talking about BEFORE you reach the past participle in the sentence.
When do these verbs change to using “avoir” as the helping verb ?

15. Voila les fleurs (fp) que j’ai achetées hier.
- There are times when the past participle agrees
with the D.O. (Direct Object) that it describes –
but the number/gender have to be indicated
somewhere before the past participle is written.
Examples:
Voila les fleurs (fp) que j’ai achetées hier.
J’adore cette pièce (f) ! Je l’ai vue le mois dernier.
* (You don’t have to know how to do to this yet. Just know the difference between the main être verbs and the regular avoir verbs.)