irregular past participles

ByFast French

The past participle (participe passé) is a key component of many French verb tenses. While most French verbs form their past participles regularly (-é, -i, or -u endings), some of the most common verbs have irregular past participles. Here are the 30 most frequently used irregular past participles, along with pronunciation guides and examples in different tenses.

The 30 most common irregular past participles

  1. Avoir (to have) – eu (UU)
  2. Être (to be) – été (AY TAY)
  3. Faire (to do/make) – fait (FAY)
  4. Prendre (to take) – pris (PREE)
  5. Mettre (to put) – mis (MEE)
  6. Dire (to say) – dit (DEE)
  7. Écrire (to write) – écrit (AY KREE)
  8. Ouvrir (to open) – ouvert (OO VAIR)
  9. Savoir (to know) – su (SUU)
  10. Pouvoir (to be able to) – pu (PUU)
  11. Vouloir (to want) – voulu (VOO LUU)
  12. Voir (to see) – vu (VUU)
  13. Devoir (to have to) – dû (DUU)
  14. Lire (to read) – lu (LUU)
  15. Boire (to drink) – bu (BUU)
  16. Connaître (to know) – connu (KONUU)
  17. Courir (to run) – couru (KOO RUU)
  18. Croire (to believe) – cru (KRUU)
  19. Recevoir (to receive) – reçu (REH SUU)
  20. Venir (to come) – venu (VEH NUU)
  21. Tenir (to hold) – tenu (TEH NUU)
  22. Devenir (to become) – devenu (DEH VEH NUU)
  23. Revenir (to come back) – revenu (REH VEH NUU)
  24. Mourir (to die) – mort (MOHR)
  25. Naître (to be born) – né (NAY)
  26. Plaire (to please) – plu (PLUU)
  27. Rire (to laugh) – ri (REE)
  28. Suivre (to follow) – suivi (SWEE VEE)
  29. Vivre (to live) – vécu (VAY KUU)
  30. Asseoir (to sit) – assis (AH SEE)

Uses of past participles in French

Passé composé

The passé composé is formed with avoir or être + past participle.
Example: J’ai lu ce livre. (I read this book.)

Plus-que-parfait

The plus-que-parfait (pluperfect) uses the imperfect of avoir/être + past participle.
Example: Il avait déjà mangé. (He had already eaten.)

Conditionnel passé

The conditionnel passé is formed with the conditional of avoir/être + past participle.
Example: Elle aurait voulu partir. (She would have wanted to leave.)

Futur antérieur

The futur antérieur uses the future tense of avoir/être + past participle.
Example: Nous aurons fini demain. (We will have finished tomorrow.)

Passive voice

The passive voice is formed with être + past participle.
Example: La porte a été ouverte. (The door was opened.)

Adjectives

Past participles can function as adjectives, agreeing in gender and number.
Example: Les fleurs coupées. (The cut flowers.)

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