A1 Past Tense 15 min read Medium

French Past Participle Agreement with Infinitive (vus courir vs. vu construire)

Agree the past participle only if the preceding direct object is the one performing the following infinitive's action.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

When a past participle is followed by an infinitive, it remains invariable if the preceding direct object is the agent of the infinitive.

  • If the direct object performs the action of the infinitive, the participle does not agree: 'Je les ai vus courir' (Wait, actually: 'Je les ai vus' vs 'Je les ai vu courir').
  • The rule: If the object is the subject of the infinitive, no agreement: 'Je les ai vu courir' (I saw them running).
  • If the object is the object of the infinitive, agreement occurs: 'Les chansons que j'ai entendues chanter' (The songs I heard sung).
Subject + Avoir + Participle + Infinitive = No Agreement

Overview

French grammar requires the past participle to agree with a preceding direct object when using the auxiliary avoir. For instance, you write les pommes que j'ai mangées because les pommes (the direct object) comes before the verb and is feminine plural. However, this rule gains a critical layer of complexity when the past participle is followed by an infinitive verb, such as in je les ai vus courir.

In this specific structure, the agreement is not automatic. It hinges entirely on the role of the direct object in relation to the infinitive's action.

The central question you must ask is: Is the direct object performing the action of the infinitive? This is often called the “actor test.” If the direct object is the actor (the subject of the infinitive), the participle agrees. If the direct object is the recipient of the action (it is acted upon), the participle remains invariable. This principle is most prominent with verbs of perception like voir (to see), entendre (to hear), and sentir (to feel/smell), and it reflects a fundamental aspect of French linguistics: the precise encoding of agency within a sentence.

Mastering this distinguishes between seeing actors perform (les actrices que j'ai vues jouer) and seeing an action done to something (la pièce que j'ai vu jouer).

Conjugation Table

Agreement Form Ending Added Example (voir → vu) Example (entendre → entendu) Example (sentir → senti)
:----------------- :------------- :------------------------ :------------------------------- :--------------------------
Masculine Singular (base form) vu entendu senti
Feminine Singular -e vue entendue sentie
Masculine Plural -s vus entendus sentis
Feminine Plural -es vues entendues senties

How This Grammar Works

The entire logic of this agreement rule rests on a single concept: identifying the subject of the infinitive. When you have a structure like [Direct Object]... [avoir] + [Past Participle] + [Infinitive], you must analyze the relationship between the Direct Object (COD) and the Infinitive.
Case 1: Agreement Occurs — The COD is the Actor
The past participle agrees in gender and number with the preceding direct object if that object is performing the action of the infinitive. Think of the direct object as the subject of the infinitive.
  • Formula: COD (Actor) ... avoir + Past Participle (Agrees with COD) + Infinitive
  • Example: J'ai regardé les filles danser. → Les filles que j'ai vues danser.
  • Analysis: Who is dancing? Les filles. Since the direct object (les filles, feminine plural) is the agent of the action danser, the past participle vu must agree with it, becoming vues.
  • Example: Nous avons entendu le ténor chanter. → Le ténor que nous avons entendu chanter.
  • Analysis: Who is singing? Le ténor. The direct object (le ténor, masculine singular) is the agent of chanter. The participle entendu agrees with it. As the base form is already masculine singular, no ending is added.
  • Example: Tu as senti les larmes monter. → Les larmes que tu as senties monter.
  • Analysis: What is rising? Les larmes. The direct object (les larmes, feminine plural) performs the action monter. Therefore, senti becomes senties.
Case 2: No Agreement — The COD is the Recipient
The past participle remains invariable (masculine singular) if the preceding direct object is the recipient of the action of the infinitive. In other words, something or someone else is performing the action on the direct object.
  • Formula: COD (Recipient) ... avoir + Past Participle (Invariable) + Infinitive
  • Example: On a vu construire la maison. → La maison qu'on a vu construire.
  • Analysis: Is the house building itself? No. Someone (unnamed builders) is performing the action construire onto la maison. Since the direct object (la maison, feminine singular) is the recipient, not the actor, vu does not agree and remains masculine singular.
  • Example: J'ai entendu jouer cette sonate. → La sonate que j'ai entendu jouer.
  • Analysis: Is the sonata playing itself? No. A musician is playing the sonate. The direct object (la sonate, feminine singular) is the object of the action jouer. Therefore, entendu remains invariable.
This principle demonstrates the precision of French. The grammar itself tells you who is doing what. Les enfants que j'ai vus dessiner means I saw children drawing. Les portraits que j'ai vu dessiner means I saw portraits being drawn.

Formation Pattern

1
To apply this rule systematically, follow this pattern. The structure always involves a compound tense (like passé composé) with avoir, a direct object placed before the verb, and an infinitive immediately following the past participle.
2
| Step | Action | Example: Les chanteuses que j'ai ___ (entendre) chanter.
3
| :--- | :------------------------------------------------------------------ | :-------------------------------------------------------------- |
4
| 1. Identify Components | Find the direct object (COD), the past participle, and the infinitive. | COD: les chanteuses (f. pl.)Participle: entendreInfinitive: chanter |
5
| 2. Apply the Actor Test | Ask: Is the COD performing the action of the infinitive? | Who is singing? The chanteuses are. Yes, it's the actor. |
6
| 3. Determine Agreement | - If yes, the participle agrees with the COD.- If no, the participle is invariable (masculine singular). | The participle must agree with les chanteuses (feminine plural). |
7
| 4. Form the Participle | Add the correct ending (-e, -s, -es) if agreement is needed. | entendu + -es → entendues |
8
| 5. Final Sentence | Construct the final sentence with the correct participle form. | Les chanteuses que j'ai entendues chanter. |
9
Let's try again with a recipient case: La chanson que j'ai ___ (entendre) chanter.
10
| Step | Action | Example: La chanson que j'ai ___ (entendre) chanter.
11
| :--- | :------------------------------------------------------------------ | :-------------------------------------------------------------- |
12
| 1. Identify Components | Find the direct object (COD), the past participle, and the infinitive. | COD: la chanson (f. sing.)Participle: entendreInfinitive: chanter |
13
| 2. Apply the Actor Test | Ask: Is the COD performing the action of the infinitive? | Is the song singing itself? No, it's the recipient. |
14
| 3. Determine Agreement | - If yes, agree.- If no, invariable. | The participle must be invariable. |
15
| 4. Form the Participle | Use the masculine singular form. | entendu |
16
| 5. Final Sentence | Construct the final sentence with the correct participle form. | La chanson que j'ai entendu chanter. |

When To Use It

This grammatical structure is not used with all verbs. It is primarily associated with specific categories of verbs that allow you to perceive or cause an action.
  1. 1Verbs of Perception: This is the most common category. These verbs describe witnessing an action with your senses.
  • voir (to see): Je les ai vus courir. (I saw them run.)
  • entendre (to hear): Elle l'a entendue pleurer. (She heard her cry.)
  • écouter (to listen to): Les fans que j'ai écoutés parler. (The fans I listened to talk.)
  • regarder (to watch): La danseuse que nous avons regardée répéter. (The dancer we watched rehearse.)
  • sentir (to feel/smell): C'est une tension que j'ai sentie monter. (It's a tension I felt rise.)
  1. 1Verbs of Causation/Allowing: These verbs cause or let an action happen. This group includes laisser (to let) and faire (to make/do), although they have special considerations.
  • laisser (to let/allow): Often follows the main rule. Les enfants que tu as laissés sortir. (The children you let go out.) Here, the children are the actors of sortir.
  • envoyer (to send): Les étudiants que j'ai envoyés chercher des livres. (The students I sent to get books.) They are the actors of chercher.
  1. 1The faire Exception: The verb faire is the most significant exception. When its past participle fait is followed by an infinitive, it is always invariable. It forms a cohesive causative unit that cannot be broken by agreement. Think of fait faire as a single block meaning "had done" or "caused to be done."
  • Les réparations que j'ai fait faire. (The repairs I had done.) - Incorrect: faites faire*
  • La robe qu'elle a fait faire. (The dress she had made.) - Incorrect: faite faire*
Understanding this rule is essential for expressing that you witnessed an action unfolding, a common need in both narrative and everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

Learners often struggle with this rule because it requires active analysis rather than automatic application. Here are the most frequent errors and how to avoid them.
  1. 1Over-agreement: Applying the Standard Rule Incorrectly
The most common mistake is to automatically agree the participle with any preceding COD, ignoring the infinitive. This leads to errors like *La maison que j'ai vue construire.
  • Mistake: *Les chansons que j'ai entendues chanter.
  • Correction: Les chansons que j'ai entendu chanter.
  • Why: The songs (les chansons) are not singing. They are being sung. The COD is a recipient, so the participle entendu must be invariable.
  1. 1Under-agreement: Fearing Agreement Altogether
Once aware of the complexity, some learners overcompensate and make the participle invariable in all cases. This is also incorrect.
  • Mistake: *Les filles que j'ai vu danser.
  • Correction: Les filles que j'ai vues danser.
  • Why: The girls (les filles) are the ones dancing. The COD is the actor, so the participle vu must agree with the feminine plural object, becoming vues.
  1. 1The faire Trap: Forgetting fait is Always Invariable
The faire + infinitive construction is a fixed rule. Its past participle fait NEVER agrees. This is a rule to memorize, as it overrides the actor/recipient logic.
  • Mistake: *Les tâches que la directrice a faites faire.
  • Correction: Les tâches que la directrice a fait faire.
  • Why: Faire + infinitive acts as a single causative expression. The object les tâches undergoes the action, and the grammatical block fait faire remains unchanged.
  1. 1Confusion with laisser
The verb laisser (to let) is tricky. While it generally follows the actor/recipient rule (Je l'ai laissée partir - She is the actor), it can sometimes be treated as invariable when the meaning is closer to "allow something to be done." However, for A1-B1 levels, sticking to the standard actor/recipient rule with laisser is the safest and most common usage.
  • Standard Usage: La porte? Je l'ai laissée ouverte. (Here, ouverte is an adjective, not an infinitive). Les étudiants? Je les ai laissés choisir leur sujet. (They are the actors of choisir.)

Contrast With Similar Patterns

To truly master this rule, you must distinguish it from other agreement patterns involving past participles and infinitives. Confusion between these structures is common.
| Pattern | Rule Summary | Example | Explanation
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1. Participle + Infinitive (This Rule) | Agreement depends on whether the preceding COD is the actor of the infinitive. | Les musiciens que j'ai entendus jouer. | The musicians are playing (actors), so entendus agrees. |
| | | La symphonie que j'ai entendu jouer. | The symphony is being played (recipient), so entendu is invariable. |
| 2. Faire + Infinitive | The past participle fait is always invariable. | Les robes qu'elle a fait coudre. | fait never agrees before an infinitive, period. It's a fixed causative expression. |
| 3. Participle of devoir, pouvoir, vouloir + Infinitive | Participles dû, pu, voulu are invariable when followed by an infinitive. | Les efforts que j'ai dû faire. | The COD (les efforts) is the object of the infinitive (faire), not of dû.
You didn't "owe the efforts," you "had to make the efforts." The action is on the infinitive, so the main participle is invariable. |
| 4. Participle + Implied Infinitive | When the infinitive is omitted but understood, participles like dû, pu, voulu are also invariable. | J'ai fait tous les efforts que j'ai pu. (Implied: ...que j'ai pu faire) | Since the infinitive faire is implied, pu remains invariable.
The agreement would shift to faits if the sentence were Tous les efforts que j'ai faits. |
This contrast highlights the unique logic of perception verbs. Unlike vouloir or devoir, where the object logically belongs to the infinitive, with voir or entendre the object can be either the subject or the object of that following infinitive, and the grammar changes to reflect that reality.

Real Conversations

This structure isn't just for formal writing. It appears frequently in everyday spoken and written French. Native speakers apply it instinctively.

- Texting / Social Media: Abbreviations are common, but the underlying grammar holds.

- G vu t'es potes partir sans toi hier soir. (Informal for: J'ai vu tes potes... - I saw your friends leave without you last night.) Here, a native speaker would mentally parse potes (masc. pl.) as the actor, justifying an unwritten vus.

- La story qu'elle a vu supprimer -> a native would understand the story was deleted by someone else, hence vu (invariable).

- Casual Conversation: Notice the flow of object pronouns (les, la, l').

- Person A: Tu as parlé à Marie et Sophie?

- Person B: Oui, je les ai vues arriver il y a cinq minutes. (Yes, I saw them arrive five minutes ago.) les = Marie et Sophie (f. pl.), actors of arriver.

- T'as aimé la pièce de théâtre? Oui, mais c'est la deuxième fois que je l'ai vu jouer. (Yes, but it's the second time I've seen it performed.) l' = la pièce (f. sing.), recipient of jouer.

- Workplace Email: The structure adds precision in professional contexts.

- Veuillez trouver ci-joint la liste des candidats que nous avons entendus s'exprimer. (Please find attached the list of candidates we heard speak.) candidats (m. pl.) are the actors of s'exprimer.

- Ceci est la version du document que j'ai vu approuver par le comité. (This is the version of the document I saw approved by the committee.) document (m. sing.) is the recipient of approuver.

Progressive Practice

1

Work through these exercises to build your instinct for this rule. Cover the answers and try to reason through each one.

2

Part 1: Actor or Recipient?

3

For each phrase, is the direct object (in bold) the actor or the recipient of the infinitive's action?

4

Les enfants que j'ai vus grimper -> Actor (they are climbing)

5

La tarte que j'ai sentie brûler -> Recipient (it is being burned)

6

Les oiseaux que tu as entendus chanter -> Actor (they are singing)

7

La lettre que j'ai vu écrire -> Recipient (it is being written)

Part 2: Choose the Correct Form

Select the correct past participle form.

8

Les alpinistes que nous avons (vu / vus) escalader la montagne.

- Answer: vus. The climbers (alpinistes, m. pl.) are the actors.

9

C'est une mélodie que j'ai souvent (entendu / entendue) jouer au piano.

- Answer: entendu. The melody (une mélodie, f. sing.) is the recipient.

10

Voilà les actrices que le réalisateur a (fait / faites) répéter toute la journée.

- Answer: fait. Fait + infinitive is always invariable.

11

Mes sœurs? Je les ai (laissé / laissées) sortir ce soir.

- Answer: laissées. les refers to mes sœurs (f. pl.), who are the actors of sortir.

Part 3: Produce the Correct Sentence

Rewrite the sentence using a relative clause (que) and the correct participle agreement.

12

J'ai regardé les étoiles filantes traverser le ciel.

- Answer: Les étoiles filantes que j'ai vues traverser le ciel...

13

On a entendu le groupe jouer cette chanson en concert.

- Answer: La chanson qu'on a entendu jouer en concert...

Quick FAQ

Q: Why doesn't the past participle fait agree when followed by an infinitive?
A: Because faire + infinitive functions as a single, inseparable semantic block known as a "causative construction." In j'ai fait faire une robe, the verb faire loses its literal meaning of "to make" and serves a grammatical function to mean "to cause to be made." The entire action is fait faire, and French grammar treats this block as inviolable, making fait invariable. It's a grammatical fossil that you simply have to memorize.
Q: What is the rule for verbs like pouvoir, vouloir, and devoir followed by an infinitive?
A: Their past participles (pu, voulu, dû) are invariable when an infinitive follows them. The logic is that the preceding direct object is the object of the infinitive, not of pouvoir, vouloir, or devoir. In les choses que j'ai voulu dire, you didn't "want the things"; you "wanted to say the things." The action of wanting applies to the infinitive dire, not to les choses.
Therefore, no agreement occurs on voulu.
Q: Does this rule ever apply with the auxiliary être?
A: No. This entire rule is specific to structures using the auxiliary avoir where a direct object precedes the verb. Verbs that conjugate with être in compound tenses (like aller, partir, venir) have their own agreement rule: their past participle always agrees with the subject of the verb.
For example, Elle est partie. The two rules operate in completely different contexts.
Q: Is there a simple trick to remember the main rule?
A: The simplest trick is the question: "Who (or what) is doing the [infinitive verb]?" If the answer is the direct object, you make the past participle agree. If the answer is "someone else" or "something else," you don't. For La fille que j'ai vue courir, who is running?
The girl. Agree. For La maison que j'ai vu peindre, who is painting?
Someone else. Don't agree.

Past Participle with Infinitive

Subject Auxiliary Participle Infinitive
Je
ai
vu
courir
Tu
as
vu
partir
Il/Elle
a
vu
manger
Nous
avons
vu
jouer
Vous
avez
vu
chanter
Ils/Elles
ont
vu
danser

Meanings

This rule governs whether the past participle (like 'vu' or 'entendu') changes form when followed by an infinitive verb.

1

Perception Verbs

Used with verbs like voir, entendre, sentir.

“Je les ai vu manger.”

“Je les ai entendu chanter.”

Reference Table

Reference table for French Past Participle Agreement with Infinitive (vus courir vs. vu construire)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
S + Avoir + Participle + Inf
Je les ai vu partir
Negative
S + ne + Avoir + pas + Participle + Inf
Je ne les ai pas vu partir
Question
Avoir + S + Participle + Inf?
Les as-tu vu partir?
Plural Object
S + les + Avoir + Participle + Inf
Je les ai vu manger
Feminine Object
S + la + Avoir + Participle + Inf
Je l'ai vu manger
Passive Sense
S + Avoir + Participle(agree) + Inf
Les chansons que j'ai entendues chanter

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Je les ai vu partir.

Je les ai vu partir. (Daily life)

Neutral
Je les ai vu partir.

Je les ai vu partir. (Daily life)

Informal
Je les ai vu partir.

Je les ai vu partir. (Daily life)

Slang
J'les ai vu se barrer.

J'les ai vu se barrer. (Daily life)

The Agreement Decision Tree

Direct Object

Agent

  • vu No agreement

Patient

  • vu(e/s) Agreement
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Examples by Level

1

Je les ai vu manger.

I saw them eating.

2

Je les ai vu partir.

I saw them leave.

3

Je les ai entendu chanter.

I heard them singing.

4

Je les ai vu jouer.

I saw them playing.

1

Les enfants que j'ai vu courir.

The children I saw running.

2

Les filles que j'ai entendu parler.

The girls I heard talking.

3

Les oiseaux que j'ai vu voler.

The birds I saw flying.

4

Les acteurs que j'ai vu jouer.

The actors I saw acting.

1

Les chansons que j'ai entendues chanter.

The songs I heard sung.

2

Les leçons que j'ai vu apprendre.

The lessons I saw being learned.

3

Les erreurs que j'ai entendu corriger.

The errors I heard corrected.

4

Les films que j'ai vu projeter.

The films I saw being screened.

1

Les suspects que j'ai vu arrêter.

The suspects I saw being arrested.

2

Les documents que j'ai entendu imprimer.

The documents I heard being printed.

3

Les fleurs que j'ai vu planter.

The flowers I saw being planted.

4

Les histoires que j'ai entendu raconter.

The stories I heard being told.

1

Les mesures que j'ai entendu proposer.

The measures I heard proposed.

2

Les travaux que j'ai vu effectuer.

The works I saw being carried out.

3

Les décisions que j'ai entendu critiquer.

The decisions I heard criticized.

4

Les projets que j'ai vu réaliser.

The projects I saw realized.

1

Les théories que j'ai entendu développer.

The theories I heard developed.

2

Les poèmes que j'ai vu réciter.

The poems I saw recited.

3

Les lois que j'ai entendu voter.

The laws I heard voted on.

4

Les chefs-d'œuvre que j'ai vu restaurer.

The masterpieces I saw restored.

Easily Confused

French Past Participle Agreement with Infinitive (vus courir vs. vu construire) vs Standard Agreement

Learners confuse this with standard agreement where the object is the patient.

French Past Participle Agreement with Infinitive (vus courir vs. vu construire) vs Causative 'faire'

Learners think 'faire' follows the same rule.

French Past Participle Agreement with Infinitive (vus courir vs. vu construire) vs Perception vs. Non-perception

Learners apply this to all verbs.

Common Mistakes

✗

Je les ai vues manger

✓

Je les ai vu manger

Over-agreeing with a plural object.
✗

Je les ai vu mangées

✓

Je les ai vu manger

Agreeing the infinitive instead of the participle.
✗

J'ai vu les enfants courir

✓

Les enfants que j'ai vu courir

Incorrect word order.
✗

Je les ai vus courir

✓

Je les ai vu courir

Agreement with 'les'.
✗

Les filles que j'ai vues partir

✓

Les filles que j'ai vu partir

Agreement with feminine plural.
✗

Les chansons que j'ai vu chanter

✓

Les chansons que j'ai entendues chanter

Wrong verb choice.
✗

Je l'ai vue partir

✓

Je l'ai vu partir

Agreement with singular feminine.
✗

Les documents que j'ai vus imprimer

✓

Les documents que j'ai vu imprimer

Agreement with inanimate objects.
✗

Les erreurs que j'ai vues corriger

✓

Les erreurs que j'ai entendu corriger

Agreement with patient.
✗

Les films que j'ai vus projeter

✓

Les films que j'ai vu projeter

Agreement with plural.
✗

Les lois que j'ai vues voter

✓

Les lois que j'ai entendu voter

Agreement with passive object.
✗

Les théories que j'ai vues développer

✓

Les théories que j'ai entendu développer

Agreement with patient.
✗

Les chefs-d'œuvre que j'ai vus restaurer

✓

Les chefs-d'œuvre que j'ai vu restaurer

Agreement with plural.

Sentence Patterns

Je les ai ___ ___.

Les ___ que j'ai ___ ___.

Les ___ que j'ai ___ ___.

Les ___ que j'ai ___ ___.

Real World Usage

Social Media very common

Les photos que j'ai vu passer sur mon fil.

Texting common

Je les ai vu arriver.

Job Interview common

Les projets que j'ai vu se réaliser.

Travel occasional

Les monuments que j'ai vu construire.

Food Delivery Apps rare

Les plats que j'ai vu préparer.

Academic Writing common

Les théories que j'ai entendu développer.

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💡

The Agent Test

Ask yourself: is the object doing the action? If yes, no agreement.
⚠️

Don't over-agree

Avoid adding 's' or 'e' just because the object is plural or feminine.
🎯

Perception Verbs Only

This rule is mainly for 'voir', 'entendre', and 'sentir'.
💬

Spoken vs Written

In speech, you won't hear the difference, but in writing, it matters.

Smart Tips

Check if the object is the agent.

Je les ai vus partir → Je les ai vu partir

Don't let the 'es' tempt you.

Je les ai vues manger → Je les ai vu manger

Check if it's a passive sense.

Les chansons que j'ai vu chanter → Les chansons que j'ai entendues chanter

Remember the agent rule.

Les acteurs que j'ai vus jouer → Les acteurs que j'ai vu jouer

Pronunciation

/vy/

Invariable form

The 'vu' is pronounced the same regardless of agreement.

Declarative

Je les ai vu partir ↘

Statement of fact.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

If they do the action, the participle stays frozen.

Visual Association

Imagine a statue of a person (the participle) that refuses to move (agree) because they are watching someone else run.

Rhyme

If they do the deed, the participle has no need to change its seed.

Story

I saw the dancers (les danseuses). They were dancing. Because they were the ones dancing, I didn't add an 'es' to 'vu'. I just kept it 'vu'.

Word Web

vuentendusentilaisséfairevoir

Challenge

Write 5 sentences about things you saw people doing today, ensuring no agreement occurs.

Cultural Notes

This rule is strictly taught in schools and expected in formal writing.

Similar to France, but spoken French often drops the agreement entirely.

Follows standard French rules closely.

This rule evolved from the Latin construction where the infinitive acted as a complement to the perception verb.

Conversation Starters

“

Qu'as-tu vu faire tes amis hier ?

“

As-tu déjà entendu chanter des chansons françaises ?

“

Quels films as-tu vu projeter récemment ?

“

As-tu déjà entendu proposer des idées intéressantes ?

Journal Prompts

Describe a day at the park.
Write about a concert you attended.
Describe a work meeting.
Discuss a recent news event.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

Je les ai ___ (voir) partir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vu
No agreement because they are the agents.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les filles que j'ai vu danser
No agreement for agent.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Les chansons que j'ai vu chanter.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les chansons que j'ai entendues chanter
Agreement required for patient.
Transform to past. Sentence Transformation

Je les vois courir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je les ai vu courir
No agreement.
True or False? True False Rule

The participle always agrees with the object.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Not when followed by an infinitive agent.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: As-tu vu les enfants ? B: Oui, je les ai ___ jouer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vu
No agreement.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

que / j'ai / les / vu / partir / enfants

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les enfants que j'ai vu partir
No agreement.
Sort the sentences. Grammar Sorting

Which requires agreement?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les pommes que j'ai mangées
Patient object.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Je les ai ___ (voir) partir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vu
No agreement because they are the agents.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les filles que j'ai vu danser
No agreement for agent.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Les chansons que j'ai vu chanter.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les chansons que j'ai entendues chanter
Agreement required for patient.
Transform to past. Sentence Transformation

Je les vois courir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je les ai vu courir
No agreement.
True or False? True False Rule

The participle always agrees with the object.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Not when followed by an infinitive agent.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: As-tu vu les enfants ? B: Oui, je les ai ___ jouer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vu
No agreement.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

que / j'ai / les / vu / partir / enfants

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les enfants que j'ai vu partir
No agreement.
Sort the sentences. Grammar Sorting

Which requires agreement?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les pommes que j'ai mangées
Patient object.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

8 exercises
Fill in the blank: La femme que j'ai ___ (entendre) crier. Fill in the Blank

La femme que j'ai ___ crier.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: entendue
Reorder the words to say 'The friends I saw leaving'. Sentence Reorder

ai / Les / vus / amis / j' / que / partir

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les amis que j'ai vus partir
Translate: 'The song I heard being played.' Translation

Translate to French:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: La chanson que j'ai entendu jouer.
Pick the sentence with correct agreement for 'I let them (m) enter'. Multiple Choice

Which one is right?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je les ai laissés entrer.
Fix the agreement: Ces livres, je les ai fait imprimer. Error Correction

Ces livres, je les ai fait imprimer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ces livres, je les ai fait imprimer.
Match the reason with the sentence. Match Pairs

Match the following:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Active COD: Agreement
Fill in: Les oiseaux que nous avons ___ (voir) voler. Fill in the Blank

Les oiseaux que nous avons ___ voler.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vus
Select the correct form for 'The story I heard told'. Multiple Choice

L'histoire que j'ai ___ raconter.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: entendu

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

Because the object is the agent of the infinitive.

No, mostly perception verbs.

Still no agreement.

Still no agreement.

Yes, very common in daily life.

Yes, often.

Ask: 'Is the object doing the action?'

It is always invariable.

Scaffolded Practice

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4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

Los vi correr

Spanish lacks the complex participle agreement system.

German moderate

Ich habe sie laufen sehen

German uses an infinitive instead of a participle.

Japanese low

彼らが走るのを見た

Japanese uses a nominalizer instead of a participle.

Arabic low

رأيتهم يركضون

Arabic uses a finite verb instead of an infinitive.

Chinese low

我看见他们跑

Chinese lacks all verb inflection.

English moderate

I saw them running

English has no participle agreement.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
French Past Participle Agreement with Infinitives (entendu chanter)
Next
Past Participle with Implied Infinitive (pu, voulu, dû)

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