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Verb tensesA2 · Elementary

Le passé composé with être

A small group of verbs — mostly about movement and change of state — form the passé composé with être instead of avoir (think of the "house of être": aller, venir, entrer, sortir, monter, descendre, arriver, partir, naître, mourir, rester, tomber…), plus all reflexive verbs.\n\nWith être, the past participle agrees with the subject in gender and number: add -e for feminine, -s for plural.\n\nIl est allé / *Elle est allée / Ils sont allés / Elles sont allées*.

Examples

FrenchEnglish
Elle est partie tôt.She left early.
Nous sommes arrivés hier.We arrived yesterday.
Ils sont nés en France.They were born in France.

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