3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être Finalement cest elle qui nest pas venue. Et vous êtes venue quand même?

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être Some verbs use the present tense of être instead of avoir as the helping verb in the passé composé. Notice that most of them are verbs of motion.

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être InfinitivePast participle alleralléto go arriverarrivéto arrive descendredescenduto go down, to descend devenirdevenuto become entrerentréto enter montermontéto go up, to ascend mourirmortto die naîtrenéto be born (continued)

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être InfinitivePast participle partirpartito leave passerpasséto pass by rentrerrentréto go back (home) resterrestéto stay retournerretournéto return revenirrevenuto come back sortirsortito go out tombertombéto fall venirvenuto come

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être ATTENTION! These verbs usually do not take direct objects. When they do take one, their meanings are usually different and they use the helping verb avoir instead of être. Elle est sortie. She went out. Il a sorti un livre de son sac. He took a book out of his bag. Nous sommes passés par là. We went through there. Nous avons passé une semaine à faire ce reportage. We spent a week doing that piece. The verbs monter, descendre, and rentrer can also take direct objects.

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être When the helping verb is être, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject. Mélanie est rentrée tôt. Mélanie came home early. Ses parents sont sortis. Her parents went out. Je suis arrivée à lhôtel.Nous sommes allés au supermarché.

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être Reflexive and reciprocal verbs also use the helping verb être in the passé composé. The reflexive or reciprocal pronoun is placed before the form of être. Vous vous êtes blessé? Did you hurt yourself? On sest téléphoné. We phoned one another.

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être To negate a reflexive or reciprocal verb in the passé composé, place the ne… pas (ne... jamais, etc.) around the pronoun and the helping verb. Je ne me suis pas rappelé son nom. I did not remember her name. Tu ne tes pas endormi avant minuit? You didnt fall asleep before midnight?

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être Like other verbs that take être in the passé composé, the past participle usually agrees in gender and number with the subject. Elle sest habillée rapidement. She got dressed quickly. Nous nous sommes disputés. We argued. Ils se sont regardés dans le miroir.

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être If the verb is followed by a direct object, the past participle does not agree with the subject. Compare these two sentences. Elle sest lavée. She washed (herself). Elle sest lavé les cheveux. She washed her hair.

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être ATTENTION! In the expression se rendre compte de, the past participle never agrees, because compte acts as the direct object and follows the verb. Elle sest rendu compte de la situation. She became aware of the situation.

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être Some reciprocal verbs take indirect rather than direct objects. In this case, the past participle does not agree. Here is a partial list of reciprocal verbs that take indirect objects: sécrire, se dire, se téléphoner, se parler, se demander, and se sourire. Nous nous sommes écrit. We wrote to one another. Elles se sont demandé pourquoi. They wondered why.

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être Ils se sont parlé.

3.2 © and ® 2012 Vista Higher Learning, Inc The passé composé with être ATTENTION! Remember, an indirect object in French is preceded by the preposition à when no pronoun is used. Elle parle à Monsieur Guy. Shes talking to Mr. Guy. Je téléphone souvent à mes parents. I often call my parents.