The perfect tense 2 (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
The perfect tense 2
Introduction to the perfect tense with être
While most French verbs form the perfect tense using avoir, some verbs use être instead. These verbs are mainly related to movement and reflexive verbs.
This distinction is crucial in French grammar - choosing the wrong auxiliary verb will make your sentence incorrect. The choice between avoir and être depends on the specific verb being used.
Verbs that take être
There are 14 main verbs that use être in the perfect tense. These are primarily verbs of movement and can be remembered using the mnemonic MRS VAN DER TRAMP.
MRS VAN DER TRAMP - This mnemonic device is essential for remembering which verbs take être. Each letter represents one of the 14 key verbs that form the perfect tense with être instead of avoir.
The 14 verbs with être
| French Verb | English Translation |
|---|---|
| aller | to go |
| venir | to come |
| arriver | to arrive |
| partir | to depart/leave |
| entrer | to enter |
| sortir | to go out |
| monter | to go up |
| descendre | to go down |
| rester | to stay |
| tomber | to fall |
| naître | to be born |
| mourir | to die |
| rentrer | to return |
| revenir | to come back |
All reflexive verbs also take être in the perfect tense. This means any verb that uses reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) will always form the perfect tense with être.
Formation with être
The perfect tense with être follows this pattern:
Conjugation table
| Subject | Être | Past Participle Examples |
|---|---|---|
| je suis | allé(e) | I went |
| tu es | arrivé(e) | you arrived |
| il/elle/on est | entré(e) | he/she entered |
| nous sommes | monté(e)s | we climbed |
| vous êtes | né(e)(s) | you were born |
| ils/elles sont | parti(e)s | they left |
Example sentences
- Je suis allé(e) au cinéma. - I went to the cinema.
- Elle est arrivée hier. - She arrived yesterday.
- Nous sommes montés dans la voiture. - We got into the car.
- Ils sont partis tôt. - They left early.
Agreement of the past participle
When using être, the past participle must agree with the subject of the verb, similar to an adjective. This is a critical rule that many students forget - failing to make agreement will result in grammatical errors.
The agreement patterns are:
- Masculine singular: no ending change (allé)
- Feminine singular: add -e (allée)
- Masculine plural: add -s (allés)
- Feminine plural: add -es (allées)
Agreement examples
- Je suis allé(e) - I went (agreement depends on speaker's gender)
- Tu es allé(e) - You went (agreement depends on who you're talking to)
- Il est allé - He went
- Elle est allée - She went
- Nous sommes allé(e)s - We went
- Ils sont allés - They went (masculine/mixed group)
- Elles sont allées - They went (all feminine)
All reflexive verbs also take être, so the past participle must agree with the subject in these cases as well.
Using the perfect tense effectively
Time expressions
When using the perfect tense, you often start sentences with time expressions that refer to the past:
- Samedi dernier... - Last Saturday...
- Hier... - Yesterday...
- Hier soir... - Last night...
- Il y a deux jours... - Two days ago...
- Pendant les vacances... - During the holidays...
Exam tip: To show you've just done something, you can use venir de (to have just) with the present tense of venir plus the infinitive. For example: Je viens d'arriver chez moi - I have just arrived home.
Practice translation exercises
Translation Practice
French to English:
- Elle est partie en vacances.
- Nous sommes arrivés à huit heures.
English to French: 3. They went to the shops. 4. I was born in London.
Answers:
- She went/left on holiday.
- We arrived at eight o'clock.
- Ils/Elles sont allé(e)s aux magasins.
- Je suis né(e) à Londres.
Key Points to Remember:
- 14 specific verbs use être in the perfect tense - mainly movement verbs
- All reflexive verbs also use être
- The past participle must agree with the subject when using être
- MRS VAN DER TRAMP helps you remember the 14 key verbs
- Use time expressions to show when past actions happened
- The perfect tense describes completed actions in the past