French 2 / Unit 3: The Passé Composé with Être
3.2 Agreement with Être
Notes
With être, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject, like an adjective.
- Masculine singular: no change. Feminine: add e. Plural: add s. Feminine plural: add es.
| Subject | Form |
|---|---|
| Paul | est sorti |
| Marie | est sortie |
| Paul et Luc | sont sortis |
| Marie et Léa | sont sorties |
| Marie et Paul | sont sortis |
- A mixed group (masculine + feminine) is masculine plural.
- Nous and vous agree with the real people: Marie says "Je suis allée". Two girls say "Nous sommes allées".
- A participle that already ends in -s does not add another: Il est mort, ils sont morts.
Practice
How does a girl say "I arrived"?
A feminine singular subject adds -e to the participle with être.
Which sentence is correct for Marc and Anne leaving?
A mixed group takes the masculine plural participle: partis.
Which sentence is correct?
Feminine plural subject: add -es to the participle.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 3 test.