Indicatif: Passé Composé

Question 1

What English verb tenses does passé composé translate to?

Answer 1

• Simple past
• Present perfect

(as well as emphatic past: “I did x”)

Question 2

Use le passé composé to talk about completed actions in the past:

• Il est tombé hier.

Answer 2

He fell yesterday.

Question 3

Use le passé composé to talk about repeated actions in the past:

• Je l’ai visité trois fois.

Answer 3

I visited it three times.

Question 4

Use le passé composé to describe a series of actions:

• Après qu’il est tombé, il a commencé à pleurer.

Answer 4

After he fell, he started crying.

Question 5

J’ai abaissé le prix de la guitare afin de la vendre plus rapidement.

abaisser: to lower; to pull down; to humiliate; to roll out (cooking)

“Baisser” also means “to lower” and is more commonly used today for this meaning than “abaisser”.

abaisser: price, rate, level, ceiling, floor
baisser: window, controller, eyes

Answer 5

I lowered the price on the guitar in order to sell it quickly. (abaisser)

abaisser: to lower; to pull down; to humiliate; to roll out (cooking)

Question 6

Tu as déjà rencontré Sarah ; tu l’as félicitée à la fête.

féliciter: to congratulate

Answer 6

You’ve (in.) met Sarah before; you congratulated her at the party. (féliciter)

féliciter: to congratulate

Question 7

James t’a manqué hier soir au barbecue.

manquer: to miss; to be lacking; to be missing

Answer 7

James missed you (in.) last night at the barbeque. (manquer)

manquer: to miss; to be lacking; to be missing

Question 8

Nous avons emprunté la voiture de mon cousin pour le voyage sur la route.

emprunter: to borrow; to follow (itinerary); to adopt (a style/manner)

Answer 8

We borrowed my cousin’s car for the road trip. (emprunter)

emprunter: to borrow; to follow (itinerary); to adopt (a style/manner)

Question 9

Vous avez passé votre lune de miel à Paris ?

passer: to cross; to go through; to spend; to take; to pass; to show…

Answer 9

You (pl.) spent your honeymoon in Paris? (passer)

passer: to cross; to go through; to spend; to take; to pass; to show…

Question 10

Ils ont marché des kilomètres sous la pluie.

marcher: to walk; to run; to work; to go well; to march

Answer 10

They walked for miles in the rain. (marcher)

marcher: to walk; to run; to work; to go well; to march

Question 11

J’ai réussi à lui faire croire mon histoire.

réussir: to succeed; to pass; to thrive; to do well

Answer 11

I succeeded in making her believe my story. (réussir)

réussir: to succeed; to pass; to thrive; to do well

Question 12

Tu as faibli pendant la course.

faiblir: to weaken; to dim; to drop

Answer 12

You (in.) weakened/lost strength during the race. (faiblir)

faiblir: to weaken; to dim; to drop
note: often used to describe someone losing strength, resolve, or determination

Question 13

Il a bâti ce modèle à partir de zéro.

bâtir: to build; to tack (sewing)

Answer 13

He built this model from scratch. (bâtir)

bâtir: to build; to tack (sewing)

Question 14

Nous avons embelli le quartier en plantant des fleurs vivaces.

embellir: to do up; to make more attractive; to embellish

Answer 14

We beautified the neighbourhood by planting perennial flowers. (embellir)

embellir: to do up; to make more attractive; to embellish

Question 15

Vous n’avez pas assez puni les enfants.

punir: to punish

Answer 15

You (for.) didn’t punish the children often enough. (punir)

punir: to punish

Question 16

Les fraises dans le réfrigérateur ont pourri alors je les ai jetées.

pourrir: to go bad; to go rotten; to corrupt; to spoil rotten (children)

Answer 16

The strawberries in the fridge went bad, so I threw them out. (pourrir)

pourrir: to go bad; to go rotten; to corrupt; to spoil rotten (children)

Question 17

J’ai répondu à ton email hier – l’as-tu reçu ?

répondre: to answer; to reply; to respond

Answer 17

I replied to your (in.) email yesterday –did you get it? (répondre)

répondre: to answer; to reply; to respond

Question 18

Tu as attendu une réponse pendant trois semaines, je suis content que tu sois passé à autre chose.

attendre: to wait; to expect

Answer 18

You (in.) waited for an answer for three weeks; I’m glad you moved on.

attendre: to wait; to expect

Question 19

Ma nouvelle poule a pondu trois œufs la semaine dernière.

pondre: to lay (eggs); to produce (inf., fig)

Answer 19

My new hen laid three eggs last week. (pondre)

pondre: to lay (eggs); to produce (inf., fig)

Question 20

Nous avons répandu la nouvelle dans tout le village.

répandre: to spill; to spread; to shed (light); give off (heat, odour)

Answer 20

We spread the news throughout the village. (répandre)

répandre: to spread; to spill; to shed (light); give off (heat, odour)
note: typically used with liquids, powdery substances, abstract concepts (to spread an idea, rumour, news), or light, heat, or scents.

Question 21

Qu’ont-ils décidé lorsque vous avez correspondu avec eux hier ?

correspondre: to correspond

Answer 21

What did they decide when you corresponded with them yesterday? (correspondre)

correspondre: to correspond

Question 22

Les glaciers ont fondu à cause du changement climatique.

fondre: to melt; to dissolve; to melt away; to swoop down on; to merge

Answer 22

The glaciers melted because of climate change. (fondre)

fondre: to melt; to dissolve; to melt away; to swoop down on; to merge