A2 · 초중급 챕터 9

Movement and Agreement in the Past

5 총 규칙
53 예문
6 분
이 챕터의 규칙 빠른 연습

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the 'House of Movement' and reflexive actions to tell your life story with French precision.

  • Identify which verbs use 'être' instead of 'avoir' in the past.
  • Apply gender and number agreements to past participles.
  • Conjugate reflexive verbs like 'se lever' in the past tense.
Move through the past with perfect harmony and agreement.

배울 내용

Hey French learner! You've already built a fantastic foundation in French, and now it's time to take your past tense skills to the next level. This chapter is all about mastering how to talk about movement and

actions you did to yourself
in the past—topics that are super common and essential for sounding natural! What you'll learn: You'll dive deep into using the verb être (to be) in the past tense (Passé Composé). We’ll specifically focus on the famous DR MRS VANDERTRAMP verbs – those verbs of movement like *aller* (to go), *venir* (to come), *monter* (to go up), *descendre* (to go down), and many more. Plus, you’ll learn how to handle all those reflexive verbs, like *se laver* (to wash oneself) or *se préparer* (to get ready). The coolest part? You’ll discover how the past participle of these verbs has to change its spelling, just like an adjective, to perfectly match the gender and number of the subject (think adding -e, -s, or -es!). This creates a beautiful harmony in your sentences. Why it matters: Imagine you're chatting with a French friend and want to share your weekend adventures:
I went to the market
or
They came to visit us.
Or perhaps you need to describe your morning:
I woke up and got dressed.
These are the moments where these specific rules come into play, making your French sound smooth and authentic. What you'll be able to do: By the end of this chapter, you’ll confidently recount past events involving movement and personal actions. You’ll be able to describe where you went, what you did to yourself, and easily share stories that truly reflect real-life situations. Get ready to add some serious fluency to your French!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: List and use the 17 'DR MRS VANDERTRAMP' verbs in the past tense.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Correctly add -e, -s, or -es to past participles based on the subject's gender and number.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to: Describe a full morning routine in the past using reflexive verbs.

챕터 가이드

Overview

Welcome, French grammar A2 learners! You’ve already mastered the basics of talking about the past with the Passé Composé, but now it’s time to unlock some of its most crucial and common applications. This chapter dives deep into how French expresses movement and personal actions in the past, a skill that will dramatically enhance your ability to tell stories and describe your day.
We’re focusing on verbs that use être (to be) as their auxiliary verb, rather than avoir (to have), which you might be more familiar with.
Mastering these rules is essential for achieving a natural flow in your French conversations. Imagine wanting to share your weekend plans or recount a trip – you’ll inevitably use verbs like *aller* (to go) or *venir* (to come). Similarly, describing your morning routine involves reflexive verbs like *se lever* (to get up) or *se préparer* (to get ready).
The key challenge, and the most rewarding part, is learning how the past participle of these verbs must agree in gender and number with the subject, just like an adjective. This past participle agreement is a hallmark of correct French past tense usage with *être*.
By the end of this chapter, you’ll not only understand the mechanics of these structures but also be able to apply them confidently. You’ll be able to describe personal experiences, movements, and routines with accuracy, making your French A2 communication much more sophisticated and authentic. Get ready to transform your storytelling in French!

How This Grammar Works

This chapter focuses on two main categories of verbs that use être as their auxiliary verb in the Passé Composé: verbs of movement and reflexive verbs. This is a fundamental concept for French past tense with être.
First, let's talk about the verbs of movement, often playfully called the House of Être or DR MRS VANDERTRAMP verbs. These are verbs like descendre (to go down), rester (to stay), monter (to go up), venir (to come), aller (to go), naître (to be born), devenir (to become), entrer (to enter), revenir (to come back), sortir (to go out), tomber (to fall), rentrer (to return), arriver (to arrive), mourir (to die), and partir (to leave). For example:
* Je suis allé(e) au marché. (I went to the market.)
* Elles sont venues nous voir. (They came to see us.)
Second, all reflexive verbs also use être in the Passé Composé. Reflexive verbs are those where the action is performed by the subject *on* the subject itself, indicated by a reflexive pronoun like me, te, se, nous, vous. For example, se laver (to wash oneself), se brosser (to brush oneself), se lever (to get up).
* Je me suis lavé(e). (I washed myself.)
* Ils se sont préparés rapidement. (They got ready quickly.)
The critical rule for both types is the French past participle agreement with être. The past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject of the verb. This means adding an -e for feminine subjects, an -s for plural subjects, and -es for feminine plural subjects.
* Il est parti. (He left.)
* Elle est partie. (She left.)
* Ils sont partis. (They left.)
* Elles sont parties. (They [feminine] left.)
This past participle agreement rule applies to all verbs conjugated with être, whether they are verbs of movement or reflexive verbs. Mastering this will make your A2 French grammar shine!

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: *Elle est allé au cinéma.*
✓ Correct: *Elle est allée au cinéma.*
*Explanation:* The subject *elle* (she) is feminine singular, so the past participle *allé* must agree by adding an -e. Remember the past participle agreement with être!
  1. 1✗ Wrong: *Nous nous sommes préparé pour la fête.*
✓ Correct: *Nous nous sommes préparés pour la fête.* (If 'nous' is masculine plural) OR *Nous nous sommes préparées pour la fête.* (If 'nous' is feminine plural)
*Explanation:* When using reflexive verbs in the past, the past participle must agree with the subject. Here, *nous* (we) is plural, so *préparé* needs an -s (or -es if all feminine).
  1. 1✗ Wrong: *Ils ont venu hier.*
✓ Correct: *Ils sont venus hier.*
*Explanation:* The verb *venir* (to come) is a DR MRS VANDERTRAMP verb of movement, meaning it uses être as its auxiliary verb in the Passé Composé, not *avoir*. Also, the past participle *venu* needs to agree with the plural subject *ils* by adding an -s.

Real Conversations

A

A

Bonjour Marie, comment s'est passé ton week-end ? (Hello Marie, how was your weekend?)
B

B

Oh, c'était super ! Je suis allée à la montagne avec des amis. Nous nous sommes bien amusés. (Oh, it was great! I went to the mountains with friends. We had a lot of fun.)
A

A

Est-ce que tes parents sont rentrés de vacances ? (Did your parents come back from vacation?)
B

B

Oui, ils sont rentrés hier soir. Ils se sont couchés tôt parce qu'ils étaient fatigués. (Yes, they came back last night. They went to bed early because they were tired.)

Quick FAQ

Q

Why do some French verbs use *être* and others *avoir* in the Passé Composé?

Verbs that use être in the Passé Composé are primarily verbs of movement (like *aller*, *venir*) and all reflexive verbs (like *se laver*). Most other verbs use *avoir*. This distinction is key to French grammar A2.

Q

Does past participle agreement always happen with *être*?

Yes, the French past participle agreement with être is mandatory. The past participle always agrees in gender and number with the subject of the verb when *être* is the auxiliary.

Q

What are some common DR MRS VANDERTRAMP verbs I should memorize for Passé Composé avec être?

Essential verbs include aller (to go), venir (to come), monter (to go up), descendre (to go down), partir (to leave), arriver (to arrive), naître (to be born), and mourir (to die).

Cultural Context

In everyday French, correctly using être for movement and reflexive verbs, along with the proper past participle agreement, is a strong indicator of fluency. Native speakers use these structures constantly to describe daily routines, travel, and personal experiences. While some regional accents might slightly vary the pronunciation of certain past participles, the written agreement rules are universal.
Mastering this makes your French sound genuinely natural and precise.

주요 예문 (4)

1

Je suis allé au cinéma avec des amis.

나는 친구들과 영화관에 갔어.

être를 사용하는 프랑스어 과거형: 이동 동사의 집
2

Elle est arrivée en retard au rendez-vous Zoom.

그녀는 줌 미팅에 늦게 도착했어.

être를 사용하는 프랑스어 과거형: 이동 동사의 집
3

Elle est allée au bureau ce matin.

그녀는 오늘 아침에 사무실에 갔어요.

프랑스어 과거 분사 일치: Être와 함께 (e/s/es)
4

Mes sœurs sont 이미 revenues de vacances.

내 여동생들은 벌써 휴가에서 돌아왔어요.

프랑스어 과거 분사 일치: Être와 함께 (e/s/es)

팁과 요령 (4)

💡

집의 이미지로 기억하기

집을 상상해 보세요. 들어가고, 머물고, 나가고, 떨어지는 등 집과 관련된 움직임은 대부분 'être'를 써요.
Je suis entré dans la maison.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: être를 사용하는 과거 시제 (복합과거)
🎯

'이동의 집' 상상하기

집에 들어가고, 계단을 오르고, 방에 머물다 내려와서 떠나는 장면을 상상해 보세요. 이런 움직임과 관련된 동사들은 대부분 être를 사용한답니다!
Je suis entré dans la maison.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: être를 사용하는 프랑스어 과거형: 이동 동사의 집
💡

거울 법칙

'être'는 거울이라고 생각하세요! 주어가 여자라면 과거분사도 여자처럼 e를 입어야 해요: Elle est partie.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 프랑스어 과거 분사 일치: Être와 함께 (e/s/es)
💡

암기의 비결

DR MRS VANDERTRAMP를 기억하세요. 이 철자로 시작하는 모든 동사가 être를 사용하고 성수 일치가 필요해요. Je suis venu.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Être를 사용한 과거 분사의 성수 일치

핵심 어휘 (7)

aller to go arriver to arrive se réveiller to wake up se dépêcher to hurry hier yesterday ensuite then / next devenir to become

Real-World Preview

hotel

Checking into a Hotel

coffee

Recounting a Busy Morning

Review Summary

  • Subject + être (present) + Past Participle
  • Participle + (e) + (s)

자주 하는 실수

Aller is a verb of movement and must use 'être' as the helper, not 'avoir'.

Wrong: J'ai allé au marché.
정답: Je suis_allé au marché.

With 'être', the past participle must agree with the subject. Since 'Elle' is feminine, you must add an 'e'.

Wrong: Elle est tombé.
정답: Elle est tombée.

Reflexive verbs in the past always use 'être' and the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se...) comes before the auxiliary.

Wrong: Je ai me lavé.
정답: Je me suis lavé.

Next Steps

You've just unlocked a huge part of the French language! Being able to use 'être' in the past makes your French sound much more sophisticated and accurate. Keep practicing those agreements!

Write 5 sentences about your morning routine today.

Record a voice memo explaining where you went on your last vacation.

Continue to: Setting the Scene and Telling Stories

빠른 연습 (9)

틀린 부분을 찾아 고쳐보세요.

Find and fix the mistake:

Les filles sont sorti hier soir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les filles sont sorties hier soir.
여러 명의 소녀들(여성 복수)은 어미 '-es'가 필요합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Être를 사용한 과거 분사의 성수 일치

어떤 문장이 문법적으로 올바른가요?

성수 일치가 올바르게 된 문장을 고르세요:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ils sont venus.
'Ils'는 남성 복수형이므로 'venu' 뒤에 's'를 붙여야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Être를 사용한 과거 분사의 성수 일치

틀린 부분을 찾아 고쳐보세요.

Elles sont venu en bus.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elles sont venues en bus.
주어 'Elles'는 여성 복수이므로 'venu' 뒤에 'e'와 's'가 모두 필요합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 프랑스어 과거 분사 일치: Être와 함께 (e/s/es)

빈칸에 알맞은 과거분사 형태를 채워보세요.

Marie est ___ (aller) au supermarché.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: allée
마리(Marie)는 여성이므로 과거분사 'allé' 뒤에 'e'를 추가해야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Être를 사용한 과거 분사의 성수 일치

문법적으로 올바른 문장을 고르세요:

'나는 7시에 일어났다'를 프랑스어로 하면?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer:
대명동사는 과거형에서 항상 être를 사용합니다. Je me suis levé가 정답입니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 과거 시제 재귀 동사: 나는 씻었다 (Passé Composé)

다음 중 문법적으로 올바른 문장은?

가장 정확한 문장을 고르세요:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mes frères sont restés à la maison.
'Mes frères'는 남성 복수이므로 과거분사 끝에 's'를 붙여야 합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 프랑스어 과거 분사 일치: Être와 함께 (e/s/es)

빈칸에 알맞은 일치 형태를 고르세요.

Marie est _____ (partir) à huit heures.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: partie
'Marie'는 여성 단수이고 'est'를 썼으므로 'parti'에 'e'를 더한 'partie'가 정답입니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 프랑스어 과거 분사 일치: Être와 함께 (e/s/es)

빈칸에 알맞은 형태를 넣으세요.

Elle ____ les mains avant de manger.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer:
'les mains'라는 직접 목적어가 뒤에 오기 때문에 성수 일치를 하지 않습니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 과거 시제 재귀 동사: 나는 씻었다 (Passé Composé)

틀린 부분을 찾아 고쳐보세요.

Mistake: Nous nous avons amusé à la fête.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer:
조동사는 sommes(être)를 써야 하고, 과거분사에는 복수형 s가 필요합니다.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 과거 시제 재귀 동사: 나는 씻었다 (Passé Composé)

Score: /9

자주 묻는 질문 (6)

'être'를 사용하는 16개 동사의 앞글자를 딴 암기 비법이에요. 예를 들어 'V'는 Venir를 뜻하죠.
아니요, 보통은 안 해요! 'avoir'를 쓸 때는 주어와 상관없이 모양이 그대로예요. "J'ai mangé"처럼요.
과거 시제에서 être를 사용하는 16개 주요 동사의 앞글자를 딴 암기법이에요. 예를 들어 D는 Devenir, R은 Rester를 의미하죠.
네, 맞아요! 주어가 여성(예: 여자가 말하는 Je)이라면 과거 분사 뒤에 'e'를 꼭 붙여야 해요. 예:
Je suis allée
.
'être'를 도와주는 동사로 쓰는 모든 시제에 적용돼요. 예를 들어 복합과거에서 Elle est partie처럼 쓰이죠.
'avoir'는 행동 자체에 집중하지만, 'être'는 주어의 상태 변화에 집중하기 때문이에요. 주어의 모습을 묘사한다고 생각하세요.
이전 챕터
Talking About Completed Actions
다음 챕터
Setting the Scene and Telling Stories
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