Verbs using ÊTRE in past tense

Posted in French grammar (https://acupo rench.com/category/french-grammar/), French verbs

(https://acupo rench.com/category/french-verbs/)
by A Cup of French®(https://acupo rench.com/author/christine/)
‧ 20 Comments(https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comments)

French verbs using ÊTRE in passé composé

Verbs of movement

Most French verbs use AVOIR as an auxiliary verb when conjugated in passé composé (or plus-que-
parfait), but fewer verbs use the auxiliary verb ÊTRE.

On this infographic, called “La maison d’être“, you will nd French verbs that require the use of ÊTRE.

Note that all these verbs describe a kind of movement. In French, they are called: verbes de
mouvement.


entrer = to enter, go inside, go in
rentrer = to go back in, come back in, come home
sortir = to go out
partir = to leave
arriver = to arrive
monter = to go up, climb up, get on
descendre = to go down, get o
aller = to go 
venir = to come
 naître = to be born
mourir = to die
rester = to stay, remain
passer = to pass, drop by, come over
tomber = to fall (down, over)
retourner = to go back, return
revenir = to come back

In addition, you also have the verbs that are derived from the verbs above, like:

ressortir = to go/come out again

repartir = to leave again
remonter = to go back up
redescendre = to come back down, come down again
devenir = to become
parvenir = to reach, manage
intervenir = to step in, take place
redevenir = to become again, be again
renaître = to be reborn, rise
repasser = to pop by again
retomber = to fall again

Mnemonic devices

You maybe think now that this is a lot of verbs to memorise, but pick up the ones you use the most
and start from there!

The infographic above should help you as well to memorise them.

You also have other tricks to remember those verbs. Try this acronym, to memorise the most used
verbs: ADVENT. Each letter of ADVENT stands for a verb and its opposite (almost):

Arriver / Partir
Descendre / Monter
Venir / Aller
Entrer / Sortir
Naître / Mourir
Tomber / Rester

You can also try this acronym, which includes more verbs: DR & MRS VANDERTRAMP

Devenir
Revenir
& 
 Monter
Rester
Sortir
Venir
Aller
Naître
Descendre
Entrer
Rentrer
Tomber
Retourner
Arriver
Mourir
Partir / Passer

A few verbs can be conjugated with both AVOIR and ÊTRE

Note that all of the movement verbs are intransitive. It means that they don’t have any direct object.

However, some of these verbs can be used with a direct object (transitive), and in that case they will
use the auxiliary verb AVOIR.

Be careful, the meaning of the verb will slightly change.

Il est monté dans le train. / Il a monté les valises.

–> He got on the train. / He carried the suitcases upstairs.
Elle est passée par la banque. / Elle a passé un examen.
–> She stopped by the bank. / She sat an exam.
Il est descendu. / Il a descendu l’escalier.
–> He went downstairs. / He went down the stairs.

Re exive verbs

In addition to the movement verbs, all the re exive verbs also use the auxiliary verb ÊTRE.

SE laver, SE lever, SE marier, etc.

It’s important not to forget the re exive pronouns!

Je me suis lavé(e)
Tu t’es lavé(e)
Il s’est lavé
Elle s’est lavée
Nous nous sommes lavé(e)s

 Vous vous êtes lavé(e)(s)
Ils se sont lavés
Elles se sont lavées

Another thing you have to think about with the re exive verbs, but also with the movement verbs is
that the past participle has to agree in gender and number with the subject.

So:

Je me suis marié / je me suis mariée

Tu t’es marié / tu t’es mariée
Il s’est marié / Elle s’est mariée
On s’est mariés / On s’est mariées
Nous nous sommes mariés / Nous nous sommes mariées
Vous vous êtes marié (Monsieur) / Vous vous êtes mariée (Madame)
Vous vous êtes mariés / Vous vous êtes mariées
Ils se sont mariés / Elles se sont mariées
I know, it’s much easier to conjugate with the auxiliary verb AVOIR! But have in mind that most of the
verbs use AVOIR, and with a little bit of training, you’ll get used to ÊTRE as well!

Bon courage !

You might be interested in my learning pack that includes a 45 min video explaining how to use passé
composé and imparfait. See link below.


Premium Membership:

Continue to enjoy the Free Infographics or get a Premium Membership to have access to all
infographics in PDF format without watermark, that you can download and print!

MORE INFO
(HTTPS://ACUPOFFRENCH.COM/PRODUCT/PREMIUM-MEMBERSHIP/)

 
You might be interested in:

PACK PASSÉ COMPOSÉ / IMPARFAIT

(HTTPS://ACUPOFFRENCH.COM/PRODUCT/PACK-PASSE-COMPOSE-IMPARFAIT/)


Read also:

CONJUGATION OF AVOIR
(HTTPS://ACUPOFFRENCH.COM/FRENCH-GRAMMAR/VERB-AVOIR-2/)

TAGS: CONJUGATION (HTTPS://ACUPOFFRENCH.COM/TAG/CONJUGATION/), VERBS

(HTTPS://ACUPOFFRENCH.COM/TAG/VERBS/)

20 COMMENTS

16th February 2019 at 6:48 am (https://acupo rench.com/french-

Rushan Liang grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-72)
(https://www.verbling.com/ti/55794262753528598411)
says:

Hi i hope this is not too random. I so much like you post and creativity at teaching a foreign language. I teach Chinese and I want to
learn from you that what kind of tools you make the infographic like website or app. It helps learner a lot with the color and
clearness.

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=72#respond)


↪
16th February 2019 at 11:00 am (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-
A Cup of French etre/#comment-73)
(https://acupo rench.com) says:

Hi,
Send me an email and I will respond 😉
Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=73#respond)

17th October 2019 at 6:03 pm (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-74)

Mauro - je viens du Bresil says:

What a lovely post. A bit compliqué mais ça est la raison pour quoi le français est si interressant

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=74#respond)

↪
17th October 2019 at 8:21 pm (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-
A Cup of French® etre/#comment-75)
(https://acupo rench.com) says:

Merci 🙂
*c’est la raison pour laquelle le français est si intéressant 😉
Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=75#respond)

24th February 2020 at 3:56 pm (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-166)

Jackson says:

It was good

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=166#respond)

↪
25th February 2020 at 5:48 pm (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-168)
A Cup of French® says:

Merci 🙂
Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=168#respond)

4th April 2020 at 6:04 am (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-223)

Joshua.Blair says:

perseverance can conquer any one **.


Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=223#respond)
↪
4th April 2020 at 6:47 pm (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-225)
A Cup of French® says:

Agree, never give up ! 😀

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=225#respond)

9th June 2020 at 4:49 pm (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-592)

Minshul says:

Hey, I have a doubt.. that those speci c verbs, transitive and intransitive which can go with both etre and avoir in passe compose…
can this same rule be applied when forming a sentence with plus que parfait and futur antérieur??
For e.g.
When I got down the escalator, i saw her…

So i have a little confusion making it in french with use of plus que parfait..

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=592#respond)

↪
10th June 2020 at 9:06 am (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-600)
A Cup of French® says:

Yes, the same rules apply to plus-que-parfait and futur antérieur 😉

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=600#respond)

9th June 2020 at 4:51 pm (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-593)

Minshul says:

I hope you understand my doubt 🙂

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=593#respond)

↪
10th June 2020 at 9:07 am (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-601)
A Cup of French® says:

😉
Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=601#respond)

↪
10th June 2020 at 12:12 pm (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-602)
Minshul says:

Thanks a lott!!
 Thanks a lott!!

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=602#respond)

10th June 2020 at 5:28 pm (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-604)

Minshul says:

N can I ask something about pronom personnels?

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=604#respond)

↪
11th June 2020 at 9:17 am (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-607)
A Cup of French® says:

What do you want to know?

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=607#respond)

15th June 2020 at 9:13 am (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-637)

Berufsbekleidung Küche says:

Gute Arbeit. Danke.

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=637#respond)

6th August 2020 at 6:25 pm (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-1075)

Diva says:

It is really helpful

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=1075#respond)

↪
7th August 2020 at 9:35 am (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-1079)
A Cup of French® says:

Glad to hear!

Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=1079#respond)

27th August 2020 at 9:29 pm (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-1312)

Zukhriddin says:

I am so happy, thank you, especially, Dr & Mrs Vandertramp is awesome, thank you. Do you alone run this website? are you French? 
Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=1312#respond)
↪
28th August 2020 at 9:33 am (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/#comment-1314)
A Cup of French® says:

Avec plaisir ! Oui, je suis française et je suis seule à gérer A Cup of French 😉 Merci pour votre commentaire !
Reply (https://acupo rench.com/french-grammar/auxiliary-verb-etre/?replytocom=1314#respond)

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