Le participe passé

A2

B1

Past Participle

The past participle in French is a verb form used in compound tenses (e.g., passé composé), passive voice, or as an adjective, often indicating a completed action or state resulting from an action.

The past participle is essential for forming compound tenses like the passé composé (e.g., J’ai mangé I have eaten) with avoir or être, and for passive constructions

• Le document a été signé.
  • The document was signed.

It can also function as an adjective

• Une lettre écrite.
  • A written letter.

It agrees in gender and number with the subject or noun it describes in certain cases (e.g., with être or as an adjective).

Usage

With "avoir" in Compound Tenses

Used in tenses like passé composé; agrees with the direct object if it precedes the verb.

• J’ai écrit la lettre.
  • I wrote the letter.
• La lettre que j’ai écrite.
  • The letter I wrote.

With "être" in Compound Tenses

Used for intransitive verbs of motion or reflexives; agrees with the subject in gender and number.

• Elle est partie.
  • She left.
• Nous nous sommes lavés.
  • We washed ourselves.

In Passive Voice

Formed with avoir + été + past participle; agrees with the subject.

• Le rapport a été soumis.
  • The report was submitted.

As an Adjective

Describes a noun; agrees in gender and number.

• Une porte fermée.
  • A closed door.

Formation of Past Participles

Note: Verbs ending in -oir or -oire (e.g., voir → vu, boire → bu) and other 3rd-group verbs (e.g., prendre → pris, faire → fait) are often irregular and must be memorized.

Additional information

Agreement with être

The past participle always agrees with the subject

• Elles sont parties
  • They left.

Agreement with avoir

The past participle agrees with a preceding direct object

• Les lettres que j’ai écrites.
  • The letters I wrote.

Past participles of common 3rd group verbs