The French Past Tense

In English to describe an action that

happened in the past we say
 Last night, we watched TV.
 Yesterday, they ate snails.
 Last year, she studied Spanish.

We can also say

Last night, we did watch TV.
They have eaten snails.
She has studied Spanish.
In French, when we want to
describe a past action, we say
 Hier soir, nous avons regardé la télé.
 Hier, il a mangé des escargots.
 L’année passée, elle a étudié l’espagnol.
The past tense (preterit)
In English, In French
 Is usually one word  Is always two words

 Can be two words, but that is Nous avons étudié hier.

usually for emphasis
1 2
 We did study yesterday.
helping verb past participle

 OR in the negative or
question format
We did not study.
Did you study
To form to passé composé
Use the helping verb
And the past participle
AVOIR
 J’ai
To form the past participle
 Tu as
Infinitive Stem Ending Past
 Il/Elle a Participle
 On a
 Nous avons -ER verbs Aim- é aimé

 Vous avez -IR verbs fin- i fini

 Ils/Elles ont -RE verbs Attend- u attendu

The passé composé can be
translated three ways in English.
 J’ai fini le livre. 1. I finished the book.
2. I have finished the
book.
3. I did finish the book.
Note the word order for
Negative sentences Questions

 Il n’a pas écouté.  Avez-vous

répondu?
 Ont-ils mangé
Nous n’avons pas
invité