Conjugating Compound Tenses with Regular French Verbs
To conjugate French compound tenses, you need an auxiliary verb, usually avoir (to have) or être (to be), plus the past participle of the desired verb. The following example shows French compound tenses conjugated with the past participles of parler (to speak) with avoir as the auxiliary and arriver (to arrive) with être as the auxiliary.
Creating Compound Tenses with the Auxiliary Avoir (Parler)
| Tense |
je |
tu |
il/elle/on |
nous |
vous |
ils/elles |
| Passé Composé |
ai parlé |
as parlé |
a parlé |
avons parlé |
avez parlé |
ont parlé |
| Pluperfect |
avais parlé |
avais parlé |
avait parlé |
avions parlé |
aviez parlé |
avaient parlé |
| Future Perfect |
aurai parlé |
auras parlé |
aura parlé |
aurons parlé |
aurez parlé |
auront parlé |
| Past Conditional |
aurais parlé |
aurais parlé |
aurait parlé |
aurions parlé |
auriez parlé |
auraient parlé |
| Past Subjunctive |
aie parlé |
aies parlé |
ait parlé |
ayons parlé |
ayez parlé |
aient parlé |
Creating Compound Tenses with the Auxiliary Être (Arriver)
| Tense |
je |
tu |
il/elle/on |
nous |
vous |
ils/elles |
| Passé Composé |
suis arrivé (e) |
es arrivé (e) |
est arrivé (e) |
sommes arrivés (es) |
êtes arrivé (e)(s) (es) |
sont arrivés (es) |
| Pluperfect |
étais arrivé (e) |
étais arrivé (e) |
était arrivé (e) |
étions arrivés (es) |
étiez arrivé (e) (s) (es) |
étaient arrivés (es) |
| Future Perfect |
serai arrivé (e) |
seras arrivé (e) |
sera arrivé (e) |
serons arrivés (es) |
serez arrivé (e) (s) (es) |
seront arrivés (es) |
| Past Conditional |
serais arrivé (e) |
serais arrivé (e) |
serait arrivé (e) |
serions arrivés (es) |
seriez arrivé (e) (s) (es) |
seraient arrivés (es) |
| Past Subjunctive |
sois arrivé (e) |
sois arrivé (e) |
soit arrivé (e) |
soyons arrivés (es) |
soyez arrivé (e) (s) (es) |
soient arrivés (es) |
Language Phrases Glossary
accusative case
When noun or pronoun is the direct object of the verb of the sentence, you are required to switch to the accusative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
dative case
When noun or pronoun is the indirect object of the verb of the sentence, you are required to switch to the dative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
genitive case
When the noun or pronoun indicates possession, you are required switch to the genitive case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
instrumental case
A Russian grammatical term that indicates that the noun or pronoun assist in the carrying out of an action, you are required to switch to the accusative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
interrogative
Words used to ask questions, such as who, what, when, where, and why.
Language Phrases Glossary
macron
A small, horizontal mark above the vowel that indicates a long vowel sound. Make the vowel sound like its name.
Language Phrases Glossary
nominative case
When noun or pronoun is the subject of the sentence, you are required to switch to the nominative case ending.
Language Phrases Glossary
prepositional case
A grammatical case that indicates that the noun or pronoun is the object of a preposition, you are required to switch to the accusative case ending. Used with the Russian prepositions: v (v; in), na (nah; on), o (oh; about), and ob (ohb; about).
