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Learn the French past participle, including regular endings like -é (mangé), -i (fini), -u (bu), and irregular forms such as appris, dit, offert. Master using auxiliary verbs être and avoir to form passé composé.
  1. The past participle is used to form the passé composé by adding the auxiliary être or avoir.
 Terminaisons (Endings)Exemples (Examples)
Réguliers (Regular)

-er-é

-ir-i

-re-u

MangerMangé

FinirFini

BoireBu

Irréguliers (Irregular)

-re-is

-re-it

-ir-ert

ApprendreAppris (Appris)

DireDit  (Said)

OffrirOffert (Offered)

Forme particulière (Particular form)

Être (To be)

Avoir (Have)

Faire (To do)

Été

Eu

Fait

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Nous avons ______ une table pour quatre personnes.

(We ______ a table for four people.)

2. Le serveur a ______ la carte des plats.

(The waiter ______ the menu.)

3. J'ai ______ une boisson et un dessert délicieux.

(I ______ a drink and a delicious dessert.)

4. Ils ont ______ le plat principal rapidement.

(They ______ the main course quickly.)

5. Le dessert a été ______ par le restaurant.

(The dessert was ______ by the restaurant.)

6. J'ai ______ un pourboire au serveur sympathique.

(I ______ a tip for the friendly waiter.)

Understanding the Past Participle in French

The past participle is a key verb form used to express completed or finished actions in French. It plays a central role in constructing the passé composé, a common past tense, by combining with the auxiliary verbs être or avoir.

Regular Past Participle Endings

Regular verbs in French form their past participles with specific endings depending on their group:

  • -er verbs: change to -é (e.g., manger → mangé)
  • -ir verbs: change to -i (e.g., finir → fini)
  • -re verbs: change to -u (e.g., boire → bu)

Irregular Past Participles

Some verbs have irregular past participle forms, often seen in frequently used verbs:

  • -re verbs sometimes end with -is or -it (e.g., apprendre → appris, dire → dit)
  • -ir verbs can end with -ert (e.g., offrir → offert)

Special Forms

Certain common auxiliary verbs have unique past participles:

  • être → été
  • avoir → eu
  • faire → fait

Examples for Practice

Here are some example sentences to help you recognize the past participle in context:

  • Nous avons réservé une table pour quatre personnes.
  • Le serveur a apporté la carte des plats.
  • J'ai commandé une boisson et un dessert délicieux.
  • Ils ont mangé le plat principal rapidement.
  • Le dessert a été offert par le restaurant.
  • J'ai laissé un pourboire au serveur sympathique.

Differences Between English and French Past Participles

Unlike English, which often forms the past participle by adding -ed to regular verbs (e.g., worked, played), French past participles vary depending on verb groups and often include many irregular forms. Additionally, French past participles agree in gender and number with the subject when used with être as the auxiliary, a concept that English does not have.

Useful French phrases include:

  • avoir + past participle: used for most verbs (e.g., J'ai mangé - I ate)
  • être + past participle: used with certain verbs like aller (to go) or reflexive verbs (e.g., Elle est allée - She went)

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Azéline Perrin

Bachelor Degree in Applied Foreign Languages

Université de Lorraine

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Last Updated:

Friday, 18/07/2025 05:23