Passé composé with avoir
Use the compound past for finished recent actions and completed events.
Examples
FrenchTranslation
J’ai fini la leçon ce matin.
I finished the lesson this morning.
Nous avons regardé le film hier soir.
We watched the film last night.
Tu as déjà lu cet article ?
Have you already read this article?
Pattern
avoir + past participle
How it works
Use the compound past for finished recent actions and completed events. This pattern typically appears as avoir + past participle and becomes easier when you meet it again in short, readable examples.
What to notice
- The auxiliary is conjugated, but the participle usually stays fixed in simple beginner uses.
- Words like déjà, ce matin, and hier often sit naturally with this tense.
Why it matters
Talk about what happened and what was going on.
Use in context
This is the essential practical past tense for beginner and lower-intermediate French.