French conjugation explanation
Verbs with variable auxiliary verb
<p>While most French verbs take
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/avoir/" title="Click to see conjugations for avoir" target="_blank">avoir</a>
as their auxiliary verb in<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/81/" target="_blank">compound tenses</a>
, and a specific group of motion verbs takes<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/%C3%AAtre/" title="Click to see conjugations for être" target="_blank">être</a>
, there are several verbs that can use <strong>either</strong> auxiliary depending on the context.</p><div class="conjugation_explanation_title">The Rule: Transitive vs. Intransitive</div>
<p>The choice of auxiliary depends on whether the verb has a <strong>direct object</strong>:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>NO Direct Object (ÊTRE):</strong> When the verb is used <strong>intransitively</strong> (indicating the subject's own motion or change of state), use
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/%C3%AAtre/" title="Click to see conjugations for être" target="_blank">être</a>
.</li><li><strong>WITH Direct Object (AVOIR):</strong> When the verb is used <strong>transitively</strong> (the action is done <em>to</em> something or someone), use
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/avoir/" title="Click to see conjugations for avoir" target="_blank">avoir</a>
.</li></ul>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Common Variable Verbs</div>
<p>Here are the most common verbs that follow this pattern, showing the contrast between meanings:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<div><strong>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/descendre/" title="Click to see conjugations for descendre" target="_blank">descendre</a>
</strong></div><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Je <span class="green_emphasis">suis descendu</span> du train. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I got off the train.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(Subject moves → ÊTRE)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">J'<span class="green_emphasis">ai descendu</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">la chaise</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I took the chair down.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(Action on <span style="font-style: italic;">la chaise</span> → AVOIR)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/monter/" title="Click to see conjugations for monter" target="_blank">monter</a>
</strong></div><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Il <span class="green_emphasis">est monté</span> dans sa chambre. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He went up to his room.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Elle <span class="green_emphasis">a monté</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">les valises</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She carried the suitcases up.</span>)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/entrer/" title="Click to see conjugations for entrer" target="_blank">entrer</a>
</strong></div><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nous <span class="green_emphasis">sommes entrés</span> dans le parc. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We entered the park.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Il <span class="green_emphasis">a entré</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">son mot de passe</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He entered/input his password.</span>)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/sortir/" title="Click to see conjugations for sortir" target="_blank">sortir</a>
</strong></div><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Je ne <span class="green_emphasis">suis</span> pas <span class="green_emphasis">sorti</span> ce week-end. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I didn't go out this weekend.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Tu <span class="green_emphasis">as sorti</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">les poubelles</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">You took out the trash.</span>)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/passer/" title="Click to see conjugations for passer" target="_blank">passer</a>
</strong></div><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nous <span class="green_emphasis">sommes</span> déjà <span class="green_emphasis">passés</span> par ici. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We've been/passed here before.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Elle <span class="green_emphasis">a passé</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">tout l'après-midi</span> à cuisiner. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She spent all afternoon cooking.</span>)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/retourner/" title="Click to see conjugations for retourner" target="_blank">retourner</a>
</strong></div><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Je n'y <span class="green_emphasis">suis</span> jamais <span class="green_emphasis">retourné</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I never went back.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Il <span class="green_emphasis">a retourné</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">son manteau</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He turned his coat inside out.</span>)</div>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The same rules apply to derived verbs such as
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/rentrer/" title="Click to see conjugations for rentrer" target="_blank">rentrer</a>
,<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/remonter/" title="Click to see conjugations for remonter" target="_blank">remonter</a>
, <span style="font-style: italic;">redescendre</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">repasser</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">ressortir</span>.</p><div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Identifying the Direct Object</div>
<p>To decide which auxiliary to use, ask the question <strong style="font-style: italic;">qui ?</strong> (who?) or <strong style="font-style: italic;">quoi ?</strong> (what?) immediately after the verb.</p>
<p><strong>Case 1: Direct Object present</strong></p>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Elle <span class="green_emphasis">a descendu</span> <span class="brown_emphasis">les escaliers</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She went down the stairs.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note"><strong>Test:</strong> Elle a descendu <strong>quoi</strong> ? → <span class="brown_emphasis">Les escaliers</span>.</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">Since there is a direct answer, use <strong>AVOIR</strong>.</div>
<p><strong>Case 2: Preposition or no object</strong></p>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Il <span class="green_emphasis">est monté</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">dans</span> le train. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He got onto the train.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note"><strong>Test:</strong> Il est monté <strong>quoi</strong> ? → No answer.</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">Here, "<span style="font-style: italic;">dans le train</span>" answers the question <strong>où ?</strong> (where?), not <strong>quoi</strong>. It is introduced by a preposition (<span style="font-style: italic;">dans</span>). Therefore, use <strong>ÊTRE</strong>.</div>