Indicatif: Passé Récent

Question 1

What English tense does the passé récent correspond to?

Answer 1

It doesn’t correspond to an exact tense.

The English construction would be:
have/had just + past participle

e.g. “The train has just left”

Question 2

Use the passé récent to talk about a completed action that took place shortly before the moment of speaking:

• I’ve just missed the bus.

Answer 2

Je viens de louper le bus.

Question 3

How is the passé récent tense constructed for events that happened right before the present?

(As opposed to right before the past, which has a different construction)

Answer 3

Present form of venir + de + infinitif of main verb

Question 4

How is the passé récent constructed for events that happened right before a moment in the past?

Answer 4

Imparfait form of venir + de + infinitif of main verb

Question 5

(casser)

Answer 5

I just broke the glass. (casser)

casser: to break; to shatter; “casser l’ambiance” to spoil the fun; to demote; to quash (in law); figurative: to slash prices (“casser les prix”), at the outside/at the very most (“à tout casser”)

Question 6

Tu ne viens pas de les griller ?*

Answer 6

Didn’t you just grill these? (cuisiner)

cuisiner: to cook; to grill

Question 7

Il vient d’emménager à Saint-Jean-Baptiste avec sa famille.

Answer 7

He just moved to Saint-Jean-Baptiste with his family. (déménager)

déménager: to move house

Question 8

Nous venons d’échanger nos billets contre de meilleurs billets qui étaient en vente !

Answer 8

We just exchanged our tickets for better ones that were on sale! (échanger)

échanger: to swap; to exchange

Question 9

Vous venez de garder le trésor ; avez-vous vu quelqu’un ?

Answer 9

You just guarded the treasure; did you see anyone? (garder)

garder: to keep; to look after; to guard

Question 10

Ils viennent de jardiner cet après-midi ; n’est-ce pas magnifique ?

Answer 10

They just gardened this afternoon; doesn’t it look beautiful? (jardiner)

jardiner: to garden

Question 11

Je viens d’affaiblir les poutres de soutien il y a une heure ; cela devrait être facile à démolir.(affaiblir)

Answer 11

I just weakened the support beams an hour ago; it should be easy to demolish.

affaiblir: to weaken

Question 12

Tu viens de choisir ton entrée ; maintenant tu n’en veux plus ?

Answer 12

You just chose your appetizer; now you don’t want it? (choisir)

choisir: to choose

Question 13

Il vient de démolir son premier adversaire sur le ring.

Answer 13

He just demolished his first opponent in the ring. (démolir)

démolir: to demolish; to wreck; to shatter; to wipe the floor with (an adversary); to slate (a film, author, theory)

Question 14

Nous venons de fournir un service de nettoyage gratuit au nouvel invité célèbre.

Answer 14

We just provided a complimentary cleaning service to the new celebrity guest. (fournir)

fournir: to supply; to provide; to put in

Answer 15

You just dazzled the judges with your performance.*

éblouir: to dazzle

Question 16

Ils viennent de ralentir la production de leur produit le plus vendu.

Answer 16

They just slowed down production of their best selling product. (ralentir)

ralentir: to slow down

Question 17

Je viens d’apprendre que ma meilleure amie est à nouveau enceinte.

Answer 17

I just heard that my best friend is pregnant again. (apprendre)

apprendre: to learn; to hear (of something)

Question 18

Tu viens de comprendre l’histoire, tu devrais donc pouvoir le lui expliquer.

Answer 18

You just understood the story, so you should be able to explain it to her. (comprendre)

comprendre: to understand; to include; to comprise; to consist of

Question 19

Il vient de prendre le dernier cookie.

Answer 19

He just took the last cookie. (prendre)

prendre: to take; to get; to pick up (a passenger); to take off (percentage, money); to put on (weight); to gain (in value; a taste for something); to adopt (a voice or tone); to catch (an evildoer or fish); to handle (a problem; a child); to set (liquid, cement) to light (a fire or match).

Also used in nine figurative expressions.

Question 20

Nous venons de mettre les plats en vitrine.

Answer 20

We have just put the dishes on display. (mettre)

mettre: to put; to put on; to wear; to take

Question 21

Bien sûr que vous êtes un artiste ; regardez ce paysage que vous venez de peindre.

Answer 21

Of course you’re (for.) an artist; look at this landscape you just painted. (peindre)

peindre: to paint; to portray, depict (figurative)

Question 22

Ils venaient de faire plaisir au juge avec leur ragoût de bœuf, mais maintenant ils avaient du mal à préparer le dessert.

Answer 22

They had just pleased the judge with their beef stew, but now they were struggling to prepare the dessert. (plaire)

plaire: to be successful; to be to someone’s taste