1. The passé composé with être
Émilie est allée au parc et elle n’est pas rentrée chez elle.
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. 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.
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. The passé composé with être
Infinitive
Past participle
aller
allé
to go
arriver
arrivé
to arrive
descendre
descendu
to go down, to descend
devenir
devenu
to become
entrer
entré
to enter
monter
monté
to go up, to ascend
mourir
mort
to die
naître né
to be born
(continued)
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

4. The passé composé with être
Infinitive
Past participle
partir
parti
to leave
passer
passé
to pass by
rentrer
rentré
to go back (home)
rester
resté
to stay
retourner
retourné
to return
revenir
revenu
to come back
sortir
sorti
to go out
tomber
tombé
to fall
venir
venu
to come
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

5. 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.
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

6. 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 l’hôtel.
Nous sommes allés au supermarché.
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

7. 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 s’est téléphoné.
We phoned one another.
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

8. 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 t’es pas endormi avant minuit?
You didn’t fall asleep before midnight?
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

9. 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 s’est habillée rapidement.
She got dressed quickly.
Nous nous sommes disputés.
We argued.
Elles se sont regardées dans le miroir.
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

10. 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 s’est lavée.
She washed (herself).
Elle s’est lavé les cheveux.
She washed her hair.
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

11. 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 s’est rendu compte de la situation.
She became aware of the situation.
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

12. 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: s’écrire, 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.
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

13. The passé composé with être
Ils se sont parlé.
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

14. 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.
She’s talking to Mr. Guy.
Je téléphone souvent à mes parents.
I often call my parents.
© 2015 by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.