Le passé composé avec être
Movement verbs, reflexives, and the agreement rule
Most verbs use avoir in the passé composé, but a special group uses être instead. These are mainly verbs of movement or state change (going, coming, arriving, dying…) plus all reflexive verbs. The big catch: the past participle must agree with the subject — like an adjective.
Which verbs use être?
There's a famous mnemonic: DR & MRS VANDERTRAMP. Each letter stands for a verb that takes être. These are mostly about coming, going, staying, or changing state.
| Letter | Verb | Past participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | Devenir | devenu(e) | to become |
| R | Revenir | revenu(e) | to come back |
| M | Monter | monté(e) | to go up |
| R | Rester | resté(e) | to stay |
| S | Sortir | sorti(e) | to go out |
| V | Venir | venu(e) | to come |
| A | Aller | allé(e) | to go |
| N | Naître | né(e) | to be born |
| D | Descendre | descendu(e) | to go down |
| E | Entrer | entré(e) | to enter |
| R | Rentrer | rentré(e) | to go home |
| T | Tomber | tombé(e) | to fall |
| R | Retourner | retourné(e) | to return |
| A | Arriver | arrivé(e) | to arrive |
| M | Mourir | mort(e) | to die |
| P | Partir | parti(e) | to leave |
The agreement rule
When using être, the past participle agrees with the subject — just like an adjective. Add -e for feminine, -s for plural, -es for feminine plural.
- Il est allé au cinéma. — He went to the cinema.
- Elle est allée au cinéma. — She went to the cinema.
- Ils sont allés au cinéma. — They (masc.) went to the cinema.
- Elles sont allées au cinéma. — They (fem.) went to the cinema.
Reflexive verbs always use être
Every reflexive verb (se lever, se laver, s'habiller…) uses être in the passé composé, and the participle agrees with the subject.
- Je me suis levé(e) à 7 heures. — I got up at 7.
- Elle s'est promenée dans le parc. — She walked in the park.
- Nous nous sommes amusés. — We had fun.
« Elle ___ à la fête hier. » (aller)
Ils ___ en France l'année dernière. (partir — passé composé)
Ce matin, elle ___ à 6 heures. (se lever — passé composé)
Which sentence has the correct agreement?
Rewrite in the passé composé
Nous sortons à 20 heures. (masc.) →