A1 Past Tense 13 min read Medium

French Past Agreement: When 'que' Changes Everything

When que precedes a past tense verb with avoir, the participle must match the noun before que.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

When the direct object 'que' comes before the verb, the past participle must agree with it in gender and number.

  • If the direct object is placed before the verb, add an 'e' for feminine: 'La pomme que j'ai mangée.'
  • If the direct object is plural, add an 's': 'Les pommes que j'ai mangées.'
  • If the direct object is masculine singular, no change is needed: 'Le livre que j'ai lu.'
Object (before) + Subject + Avoir + Participle (+ e/s/es)

Overview

In French, forming the past tense, known as the passé composé, often involves the auxiliary verb avoir (to have) followed by a past participle. Generally, when avoir is used, the past participle remains unchanged, regardless of the gender or number of the subject or the direct object that follows it. For instance, in J'ai mangé la pomme (I ate the apple), the participle mangé does not change.

However, French grammar introduces a critical rule that requires the past participle to agree in gender and number with its direct object when that direct object appears before the verb. This phenomenon is particularly evident and vital for beginners to grasp when the direct object is represented by the relative pronoun que (that, which).

The pronoun que acts as a placeholder for a noun or pronoun that has already been mentioned, effectively bringing the direct object to the front of the sentence. When que fulfills this role, the past participle must then adjust its ending to match the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the noun que refers to. This rule ensures clarity and grammatical precision, especially in written French, even if the pronunciation often remains the same.

Mastering this agreement is a hallmark of grammatically correct French.

Past Participle Agreement Endings

Understanding how past participles change their endings is fundamental. These changes are systematic and depend solely on the gender and number of the preceding direct object. This agreement applies to all regular and most irregular past participles used with avoir when the direct object comes before the verb.

| Gender & Number of Preceding Direct Object | Ending to Add to Base Past Participle | Example (from mangé) | Example (from vu) |

| :----------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------ | :---------------------- | :-------------------- |

| Masculine Singular | None (remains as base) | mangé | vu |

| Feminine Singular | -e | mangée | vue |

| Masculine Plural | -s | mangés | vus |

| Feminine Plural | -es | mangées | vues |

This table illustrates the four possible forms a past participle can take. The base form is typically the masculine singular. For example, parlé (spoken), fini (finished), vendu (sold), fait (made/done), pris (taken), vu (seen) are all masculine singular.

You then add the appropriate letter(s) based on the preceding direct object's characteristics. Remember that for most verbs, especially those ending in -é, -i, or -u in their participle form, these added letters are silent. For instance, mangé and mangée sound identical.

How This Grammar Works

French grammar prioritizes clear communication, and this agreement rule is a mechanism to achieve it, particularly when the typical word order is altered. In a standard French sentence, the direct object (COD - Complément d'Objet Direct) usually follows the verb. For example, in J'ai lu un livre (I read a book), un livre is the direct object and comes after lu.
However, when you use a relative pronoun like que to introduce more information about a noun, que replaces that noun and moves to the beginning of the relative clause. If the noun que replaces is a direct object, then the direct object effectively moves before the verb in its clause. It's as if French wants to explicitly acknowledge this reordering by making the past participle 'look back' at the moved object and agree with it.
Consider the sentence J'ai acheté la robe (I bought the dress). Here, la robe is the direct object and comes after acheté. No agreement is needed.
Now, if you want to say, La robe que j'ai achetée (The dress that I bought), que replaces la robe. Since la robe is feminine singular, que now stands for a feminine singular direct object. Because que precedes acheté in the clause que j'ai achetée, the past participle acheté must agree with la robe, thus becoming achetée.
This agreement is a formal indication that que refers to la robe and that la robe is the direct object of acheté.
The essence of this rule is the relationship between the past participle, the auxiliary avoir, and the position of the direct object. If the direct object is already mentioned and then referred to again by que before the auxiliary avoir and its past participle, the participle must visually reflect the gender and number of that original direct object. This connection is fundamental to understanding many advanced French grammatical structures, even at an A1 level.

Formation Pattern

1
Applying this past participle agreement with que can be broken down into a clear, methodical sequence of steps. This structured approach helps ensure you correctly identify all necessary components for accurate agreement.
2
Identify the Antecedent Noun/Pronoun: Locate the noun or pronoun that que is replacing. This is the antecedent. It will typically appear directly before que. For example, in Les fleurs que j'ai vues, Les fleurs is the antecedent.
3
Determine its Gender and Number: Ascertain whether the antecedent is masculine or feminine, and singular or plural. This information is crucial for the agreement. For Les fleurs, it is feminine plural.
4
Confirm que is a Direct Object (COD): Mentally rephrase the relative clause as a simple sentence to check. If you can answer "What?" or "Whom?" by using the antecedent, then que is a direct object. For instance, in que j'ai vues, you would ask J'ai vu quoi? (I saw what?). The answer is les fleurs. Therefore, que is indeed a direct object.
5
Form the Passé Composé with avoir: Construct the standard passé composé: Subject + avoir (conjugated in the present tense) + Past Participle. Example: j'ai vu (I saw).
6
Apply Past Participle Agreement: Based on the gender and number identified in step 2, add the correct ending to the past participle. If the antecedent is masculine singular, no change occurs. If it's feminine singular, add -e. If masculine plural, add -s. If feminine plural, add -es. Continuing the example: Since Les fleurs is feminine plural, vu becomes vues.
7
Combining these steps, Les fleurs que j'ai vues correctly applies the agreement. This systematic approach eliminates guesswork and builds confidence in applying the rule consistently.

When To Use It

This grammatical rule is not an obscure exception but a frequent occurrence in everyday French, appearing whenever you describe something that has been the direct recipient of an action and is then referred to by que. You will encounter and need to use this construction constantly in both spoken and written communication.
  • Describing things you have seen or experienced: If you talk about un film (a masculine noun) you watched, you'd say le film que j'ai vu. If it's une série (a feminine noun), it becomes la série que j'ai vue. The agreement changes based on the noun.
  • Referring to items you have bought: When discussing purchases, whether it's les livres que tu as lus (the books that you read, masculine plural lus) or les chaussures que tu as achetées (the shoes that you bought, feminine plural achetées), the rule applies. It clarifies which specific items are being discussed.
  • Discussing tasks or responsibilities: Imagine explaining work you have completed: la présentation que j'ai préparée (the presentation that I prepared, feminine singular préparée) versus les rapports que j'ai écrits (the reports that I wrote, masculine plural écrits). This agreement is professional and expected.
This agreement also serves a crucial function in avoiding ambiguity. By making the past participle agree, the listener or reader instantly knows that que is referring to the specific noun that dictated the agreement. This precision is valued in French and makes your communication more exact and natural.
It signifies a deeper understanding of French structure, even at an early stage of learning.

Common Mistakes

Even for advanced learners, past participle agreement can be a source of frequent errors, especially due to its often subtle nature in spoken French. For A1 learners, focusing on these common pitfalls can significantly accelerate mastery.
  • Forgetting Agreement Due to Identical Pronunciation: The most prevalent error is omitting the agreement in writing because the different forms often sound identical. Mangé, mangée, mangés, mangées usually sound the same. This leads learners to assume the spelling is always the base form. You must train your brain to recognize the written rule independently of pronunciation. Example: writing La lettre que j'ai écrit instead of La lettre que j'ai écrite.
  • Agreeing with the Subject Instead of the Preceding Direct Object: Learners sometimes mistakenly make the past participle agree with the subject of the clause (the person doing the action) instead of the preceding direct object. This rule applies only to preceding direct objects with avoir. Example: Elle a mangé la pomme – no agreement here. If a female speaker says La pomme que j'ai mangée, the -e is for la pomme (feminine singular), not for je (the speaker).
  • Applying Agreement When the Direct Object is After the Verb: The rule only applies when the direct object comes before the auxiliary avoir and the past participle. If the direct object follows the participle, there is no agreement. Example: J'ai acheté les livres. Les livres comes after acheté, so no -s is added to acheté. A common mistake is J'ai achetés les livres, which is incorrect.
  • Confusing que (COD) with qui (Subject): Qui acts as a subject pronoun, and the verb in its clause will agree with qui (which refers to the antecedent's person/number). Que acts as a direct object pronoun. Distinguishing between these two is critical. Example: Le livre qui est intéressant (The book which is interesting) vs. Le livre que j'ai lu (The book that I read). No past participle agreement with qui because qui is the subject, not the direct object of the action in the past participle clause.
  • Over-Generalizing the Rule: This specific agreement rule is limited to past participles used with the auxiliary avoir. Do not apply it to present tense verbs or other verb constructions.
By being acutely aware of these specific errors, you can proactively check your sentences and improve your accuracy significantly. It is a detail-oriented rule that requires consistent attention.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

To truly grasp past participle agreement with que, it is beneficial to differentiate it from other, superficially similar grammatical constructions in French. Understanding these contrasts prevents confusion and reinforces the specific conditions under which this rule applies.
  • Past Participle Agreement with Être: Verbs that form their passé composé with the auxiliary être (often verbs of movement or state, like aller, venir, partir) always agree with their subject. This is a consistent and non-negotiable rule. For example: Elle est allée (She went – allée agrees with elle, feminine singular) and Ils sont partis (They left – partis agrees with ils, masculine plural). This contrasts sharply with avoir verbs, where agreement is only with a preceding direct object.
  • Avoir Verbs with Direct Object After: As reiterated, if the direct object appears after the past participle in sentences using avoir, there is no agreement. For example, Nous avons fini nos devoirs (We finished our homework). Nos devoirs (masculine plural) is the direct object, but because it comes after fini, fini remains unchanged. This is the most common scenario for avoir verbs.
  • Direct Object Pronouns (le, la, les, l') Preceding the Verb: When direct object pronouns like le (him/it, masculine singular), la (her/it, feminine singular), or les (them, masculine or feminine plural) precede the verb, they trigger the same agreement rule as que. For example: Tu as vu la voiture ? Oui, je l'ai vue. (Did you see the car? Yes, I saw it.). Here, l' replaces la voiture (feminine singular) and precedes ai vue, so vue takes an -e. This shows that que is not unique in triggering this agreement; any preceding direct object pronoun does.
  • Qui vs. Que: This distinction is critical for A1 learners. Qui functions as a subject relative pronoun. This means it replaces the subject of the relative clause. Qui never triggers past participle agreement with avoir. Que functions as a direct object relative pronoun. It replaces the direct object and does trigger agreement. Example: La personne qui est venue (The person who came – qui is the subject of est venue) vs. La personne que j'ai rencontrée (The person whom I met – que is the direct object of ai rencontrée, hence the -e). Memorize qui = subject, que = direct object.
Understanding these distinctions is key to building a robust foundation in French grammar. Each grammatical pattern has its own specific set of rules, and confusing them leads to common errors.

Real Conversations

To demonstrate the practical application of this rule, here are examples reflecting contemporary, authentic French usage. Observe how the agreement integrates seamlessly into various contexts, from casual messaging to slightly more formal expressions.

- Texting/Instant Messaging:

- Salut ! J'ai adoré la série que tu m'as recommandée. Elle était géniale !

(Hey! I loved the series that you recommended to me. It was great!)

Note: recommandée agrees with la série (feminine singular).*

- Tu as vu les photos que j'ai postées sur Insta ?

(Did you see the photos that I posted on Insta?)

Note: postées agrees with les photos (feminine plural).*

- Casual Conversation/Social Media:

- Le resto que nous avons découvert hier est incroyable ! Il faut absolument que tu y ailles.

(The restaurant that we discovered yesterday is incredible! You absolutely have to go there.)

Note: découvert agrees with le resto (masculine singular), so no added ending.*

- C'est la première fois que j'ai cuisiné ça. La recette que ma grand-mère m'a donnée est super simple.

(It's the first time I cooked that. The recipe that my grandmother gave me is super simple.)

Note: donnée agrees with la recette (feminine singular).*

- Work/Academic Context (slightly more formal, but still natural):

- J'ai préparé les documents que vous m'avez demandés pour la réunion.

(I prepared the documents that you asked me for for the meeting.)

Note: demandés agrees with les documents (masculine plural).

L

Liaison

Note the 's' of demandés would link with the 'ou' of où if it were où vous m'avez demandés.*

- La tâche que j'ai priorisée cette semaine était assez complexe, mais j'ai réussi.

(The task that I prioritized this week was quite complex, but I succeeded.)

Note: priorisée agrees with la tâche (feminine singular).

Silent 'e': The final 'e' of priorisée is silent.*

These examples illustrate that the agreement rule is consistently applied across various registers of French. Pay attention to written French in native contexts (books, articles, subtitles, social media) to see this rule in action.

Progressive Practice

1

Mastering past participle agreement with que requires consistent, focused practice that moves from recognition to active application. Here's a structured approach for A1 learners.

2

- Step 1: Identifying Direct Objects (COD): Before tackling que, ensure you can reliably identify direct objects in simple sentences. Practice by answering

Agreement Patterns

Gender/Number Ending Example
Masculine Singular
None
Le film que j'ai vu
Feminine Singular
+ e
La robe que j'ai vue
Masculine Plural
+ s
Les livres que j'ai lus
Feminine Plural
+ es
Les robes que j'ai vues

Meanings

This rule dictates that when a direct object precedes a verb conjugated with 'avoir', the past participle must agree with that object.

1

Direct Object Agreement

Matching the participle to the preceding direct object.

“La robe que j'ai achetée.”

“Les fleurs que j'ai vues.”

Reference Table

Reference table for French Past Agreement: When 'que' Changes Everything
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Object + Avoir + Participle
La pomme que j'ai mangée
Negative
Object + ne + Avoir + pas + Participle
La pomme que je n'ai pas mangée
Interrogative
Object + Avoir + Subject + Participle
La pomme que tu as mangée ?
Plural
Les + Noun + Avoir + Participle + s
Les pommes que j'ai mangées
Pronoun
Direct Object Pronoun + Avoir + Participle
Je l'ai mangée (la pomme)

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Le livre que j'ai lu.

Le livre que j'ai lu. (General)

Neutral
Le livre que j'ai lu.

Le livre que j'ai lu. (General)

Informal
Le livre que j'ai lu.

Le livre que j'ai lu. (General)

Slang
Le bouquin que j'ai lu.

Le bouquin que j'ai lu. (General)

The Agreement Flow

Direct Object

Position

  • Before Verb Agree!
  • After Verb No Agreement
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Examples by Level

1

La pomme que j'ai mangée.

The apple that I ate.

2

La lettre que j'ai écrite.

The letter that I wrote.

3

Les fleurs que j'ai vues.

The flowers that I saw.

4

Le livre que j'ai lu.

The book that I read.

1

Les photos que tu as prises.

The photos that you took.

2

La voiture que nous avons louée.

The car that we rented.

3

Les chansons que j'ai écoutées.

The songs that I listened to.

4

La maison que j'ai achetée.

The house that I bought.

1

Quelles sont les erreurs que tu as commises ?

What are the mistakes you made?

2

Les décisions que nous avons prises sont définitives.

The decisions we made are final.

3

La réunion que nous avons organisée a été utile.

The meeting we organized was useful.

4

Les cadeaux que j'ai reçus sont magnifiques.

The gifts I received are magnificent.

1

C'est la meilleure stratégie que nous ayons jamais adoptée.

It is the best strategy we have ever adopted.

2

Les contraintes que nous avons rencontrées étaient imprévues.

The constraints we encountered were unforeseen.

3

La confiance que vous m'avez témoignée est précieuse.

The trust you have shown me is precious.

4

Les opportunités que nous avons saisies ont changé notre vie.

The opportunities we seized changed our lives.

1

Les mesures que le gouvernement a instaurées sont controversées.

The measures the government has implemented are controversial.

2

La renommée que cet artiste a acquise est méritée.

The fame this artist has acquired is deserved.

3

Les théories que ces chercheurs ont élaborées sont fascinantes.

The theories these researchers have developed are fascinating.

4

La liberté que nous avons conquise est fragile.

The freedom we have conquered is fragile.

1

Les nuances que l'auteur a introduites enrichissent le texte.

The nuances the author introduced enrich the text.

2

La rigueur que cette méthode a exigée était sans précédent.

The rigor this method required was unprecedented.

3

Les concessions que les parties ont consenties ont permis un accord.

The concessions the parties granted allowed for an agreement.

4

La vision que ce leader a incarnée a transformé la société.

The vision this leader embodied transformed society.

Easily Confused

French Past Agreement: When 'que' Changes Everything vs Passé Composé with 'être'

Learners think all past participles agree.

French Past Agreement: When 'que' Changes Everything vs Indirect Objects

Learners agree with indirect objects.

French Past Agreement: When 'que' Changes Everything vs Verbs with 'en'

Learners try to agree with 'en'.

Common Mistakes

✗

J'ai mangée la pomme.

✓

J'ai mangé la pomme.

Object is after the verb.
✗

La pomme que j'ai mangé.

✓

La pomme que j'ai mangée.

Missing agreement.
✗

Les livres que j'ai lu.

✓

Les livres que j'ai lus.

Missing plural agreement.
✗

La fille que j'ai vu.

✓

La fille que j'ai vue.

Missing feminine agreement.
✗

La voiture que nous avons loué.

✓

La voiture que nous avons louée.

Agreement required.
✗

Les photos que tu as pris.

✓

Les photos que tu as prises.

Agreement required.
✗

La maison que j'ai acheté.

✓

La maison que j'ai achetée.

Agreement required.
✗

Les erreurs que tu as commis.

✓

Les erreurs que tu as commises.

Agreement required.
✗

La réunion que nous avons organisé.

✓

La réunion que nous avons organisée.

Agreement required.
✗

Les cadeaux que j'ai reçu.

✓

Les cadeaux que j'ai reçus.

Agreement required.
✗

Les mesures que le gouvernement a instauré.

✓

Les mesures que le gouvernement a instaurées.

Agreement required.
✗

La renommée que cet artiste a acquis.

✓

La renommée que cet artiste a acquise.

Agreement required.
✗

Les théories que ces chercheurs ont élaboré.

✓

Les théories que ces chercheurs ont élaborées.

Agreement required.

Sentence Patterns

La ___ que j'ai ___.

Les ___ que j'ai ___.

C'est la ___ que j'ai ___.

Les ___ que nous avons ___ sont ___.

Real World Usage

Social Media very common

Les photos que j'ai postées !

Texting constant

Le message que tu as envoyé.

Job Interview common

Le projet que j'ai dirigé.

Travel common

La chambre que j'ai réservée.

Food Delivery occasional

La pizza que j'ai commandée.

Academic Writing very common

Les résultats que nous avons obtenus.

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💡

Check the object

Always find the direct object first. If it's after the verb, ignore it.
⚠️

Don't agree with the subject

The subject doesn't matter for 'avoir' verbs.
🎯

Use pronouns

If you use 'la' or 'les', remember to agree the participle.
💬

Spoken vs Written

In speech, people often skip this, but in writing, it's mandatory.

Smart Tips

Pause and look for the object before 'que'.

La pomme que j'ai mangé. → La pomme que j'ai mangée.

Always add an 's' to the participle.

Les photos que j'ai pris. → Les photos que j'ai prises.

Always add an 'e' to the participle.

La voiture que j'ai loué. → La voiture que j'ai louée.

Check the gender of the noun it replaces.

Je l'ai vu (la robe). → Je l'ai vue (la robe).

Pronunciation

mangé / mangée sound the same

Silent endings

The 'e' and 's' added for agreement are silent.

Declarative

La pomme que j'ai mangée. ↘

Statement of fact

Memorize It

Mnemonic

If the object is in the front, the verb must show its front (agreement).

Visual Association

Imagine a mirror in front of the verb. When the object stands in front, the verb looks in the mirror and puts on a hat (the 'e' or 's').

Rhyme

If the object is before, add an 'e' or 's' to the core.

Story

Marie bought a dress. She says 'La robe que j'ai achetée'. The dress is in front of the verb, so it demands an 'e'. If she bought two dresses, they demand an 'es'.

Word Web

queavoirparticipeaccorddirectobjet

Challenge

Write 3 sentences about things you have bought today using 'que'.

Cultural Notes

The agreement is strictly taught in schools and expected in formal writing.

Similar to France, though spoken French often drops the agreement.

Follows standard French rules for agreement.

The rule comes from Latin, where the participle functioned as an adjective modifying the object.

Conversation Starters

“

Quel est le dernier livre que tu as lu ?

“

Quelles sont les photos que tu as prises en vacances ?

“

Quelle est la meilleure décision que tu aies prise ?

“

Quelles mesures as-tu instaurées dans ton travail ?

Journal Prompts

Describe a meal you ate today.
List three things you bought recently.
Reflect on a project you completed.
Discuss a life-changing event.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Complete the sentence.

La pomme que j'ai ___ (manger).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mangée
Feminine singular object.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Les fleurs que j'ai ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vues
Plural feminine object.
Correct the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Le livre que j'ai lus.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Le livre que j'ai lu.
Masculine singular.
Transform to agreement. Sentence Transformation

J'ai acheté la robe. -> La robe que j'ai ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: achetée
Feminine singular.
Is this correct? True False Rule

Les photos que j'ai pris.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Should be 'prises'.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: As-tu vu les clés ? B: Oui, les clés que j'ai ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: trouvées
Plural feminine.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

que / j'ai / les / vues / fleurs

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les fleurs que j'ai vues.
Correct word order.
Conjugate. Conjugation Drill

La décision que nous avons ___ (prendre).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: prise
Feminine singular.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Complete the sentence.

La pomme que j'ai ___ (manger).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mangée
Feminine singular object.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Les fleurs que j'ai ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vues
Plural feminine object.
Correct the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Le livre que j'ai lus.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Le livre que j'ai lu.
Masculine singular.
Transform to agreement. Sentence Transformation

J'ai acheté la robe. -> La robe que j'ai ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: achetée
Feminine singular.
Is this correct? True False Rule

Les photos que j'ai pris.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Should be 'prises'.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: As-tu vu les clés ? B: Oui, les clés que j'ai ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: trouvées
Plural feminine.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

que / j'ai / les / vues / fleurs

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les fleurs que j'ai vues.
Correct word order.
Conjugate. Conjugation Drill

La décision que nous avons ___ (prendre).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: prise
Feminine singular.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'finir'. Fill in the Blank

Les leçons que nous avons ___ étaient difficiles.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: finies
Correct the mistake: Les pommes que j'ai acheté. Error Correction

Les pommes que j'ai acheté.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les pommes que j'ai achetées.
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Reorder

reçue | la | lettre | j'ai | que

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: la lettre que j'ai reçue
Translate 'The photos I took' into French. Translation

The photos I took

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les photos que j'ai prises
Choose the correctly spelled past participle. Multiple Choice

L'histoire que tu as ___ (raconter) est incroyable.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: racontée
Match the noun with the correct verb ending. Match Pairs

Match the pairs:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Le livre (m.s.) : lu
Fill in the blank for: The house I sold. Fill in the Blank

La maison que j'ai ___ .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vendue
Fix the agreement: Les films que nous avons vu. Error Correction

Les films que nous avons vu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Les films que nous avons vus.
Which one is right for 'The keys I found'? Multiple Choice

Les clés que j'ai ___ .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: trouvées
Translate: The coffee I drank. Translation

The coffee I drank

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Le café que j'ai bu

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

No, only to verbs conjugated with 'avoir'.

Then there is no agreement.

It is often omitted in casual speech but required in writing.

No, 'en' never triggers agreement.

Ask 'what' or 'who' after the verb.

They do not trigger agreement.

Yes, it is very common in written French.

Because it requires checking the object's position.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish partial

Participio

Spanish does not require agreement with pre-verbal direct objects.

German low

Partizip II

German has no such agreement rule.

Japanese none

Ta-form

Japanese lacks gender and number agreement entirely.

Arabic low

Past tense

Arabic agreement is subject-focused.

Chinese none

Aspect markers

Chinese has no verb conjugation or agreement.

English low

Past participle

English has no gender or number agreement for verbs.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
French Past Tense: Agreement with 'que' (COD)
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French Past Tense: Asking 'How Many' (Agreement with Combien)

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