Download Def with Avoir - River Dell Regional School District

“FICKLE” VERBS: THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND FOR PASSE COMPOSE
Auxiliary verb (helping verb) – AVOIR or ETRE?
FICKLE VERBS
o
o
o
o
o
Descendre
Monter
Passer
Sortir
Rentrer
Sometimes these verbs change their meaning slightly and have direct object.
To review direct object idea: http://french.about.com/od/grammar/a/directobjects.htm)
When these ETRE verbs have a direct object, they use AVOIR as their helping verb.
PC with avoir:- subject and past participle do NOT agree in number and gender
PC with être: subject and past participle DO agree in number and gender
This is a situation – fickle verbs - in which you can generalize with a simple strategy:
Is there a preposition after the fickle verb? Use ÊTRE as the helping verb
No preposition AND/OR no Direct Object for the fickle verb: Use ÊTRE as the helping verb
1. Marie est descendue au rez-de-chaussee.
Marie went down to the ground floor.
2. Elle a descendu l’escalier.
She went down the staircase.
3. Les jeunes filles ont sorti leur plan de la ville.
The girls took out their city map.
4. Elles sont sorties pour visiter tous les monuments de la ville.
They left to visit the city monuments.
Write very brief and simple paired sentences for each fickle verb.
The first one is done for you.
verb
Helping
Meaning
Présent
Passé composé
verb
To move in a downward direction
Je descends.
descendre être
Je suis
descendu(e).
avoir
To move or bring something down, to
Je descends ma
J’ai descendu ma
descend something like a mountain or
valise.
valise.
a staircase
être
To move upward
monter
avoir
To move (something) upward, to lift, to
carry (something) up; to ascend
something, like a mountain or a
staircase
sortir
passer
rentrer
être
To go out, to exit
avoir
To take something out, like the dog or
something in your pocket or backpack
être
To move in a direction
avoir
To spend (time); to pass something, like
the salt, or time; to take a test
être
To return to a home-base place – to
your native land, hometown, your
house, your school after vacation
To put (something) into a different
position; To bring in, tuck in, fetch, hold
back
avoir
TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES TO FRENCH.
SORTIR
I am going out with my friends.
I went out with my friends.
I am getting out my computer.
I got out my computer.
DESCENDRE
I am getting out of the train. (descendre DU train)
I got out of the train.
I am going down the stairs.
I went down the stairs.
MONTER
I’m going up.
I went up.
I’m taking my suitcases up.
I lifted up my suitcases.
PASSER
I’m going by the school. (passer par)
I went by the school.
I’m spending a week in France.
I spent a week in France.
RENTRER
I’m coming back.
I returned.
I’m bringing the cat in.
I brought the cat in.