Entrer can be used with avoir or être in compound tenses depending on its meaning in French (Le Passé Composé)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2024-03-11
34 questions
Most verbs use either avoir or être as the auxiliary verb in Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) (or other compound tense), but entrer uses both, depending on its grammatical usage* and what it means in the sentence.
 
*Grammaphile's Corner : the technical grammatical distinction between these cases is actually whether the verb is used in a transitive or intransitive manner. 
- The transitive version (the version with a direct object) uses avoir.
- The intransitive version (lacking a direct object), uses être.

Using avoir or être with the verb ENTRER in Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) in French

 

être + entré [en, dans, etc.]
= to go/come/get into  
= to enter

Je suis entré dans le salon sans que tu me voies.I walked into the living-room without you seeing me.

Quand elle est entrée dans la salle, tous les regards se sont tournés vers elle.When she came into the room, all eyes turned towards her.  
When she entered the room, all eyes turned towards her.

Mes filles sont entrées en CP cette année.My daughters started Primary School this year.
 

Notice that in each case where être is the auxilliary, the verb entrer is followed by a preposition (en, sur, dans, à etc.).  
So in these cases entrer is usually about getting into, coming into, going into or entering.

See also Agreeing past participle with subject's gender and number with (+ être) verbs in the compound past in French (Le Passé Composé).
 

avoir + entré [quelque chose] dans [quelque chose]
= to enter/put [something] into [something]

Pour accéder à ce site, j'ai entré mon mot de passe secret.To access this website, I entered my secret password.
Nous avons entré les informations dans le programme.We entered the information into the program.
Les scientifiques ont entré les données dans l'ordinateur.The scientists entered the data into the computer.
When entrer is followed immediately by a noun (as opposed to a preposition), it uses avoir as the auxiliary, like most verbs.
 
It can be very tricky to get the distinction here if you think in terms of what entrer means in English (English verbs are very often 'prepositional', meaning we say things like to go into a room as well as enter a room which are equivalent in meaning but grammatically very different - our verbs very often have prepositions where they don't in French!).
   
Here is the list of all "two-auxiliary" verbs in compound tenses:
 

Want to make sure your French sounds confident? We’ll map your knowledge and give you free lessons to focus on your gaps and mistakes. Start your Brainmap today »

Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Examples and resources

Pour accéder à ce site, j'ai entré mon mot de passe secret.To access this website, I entered my secret password.
Mes filles sont entrées en CP cette année.My daughters started Primary School this year.
Quand elle est entrée dans la salle, tous les regards se sont tournés vers elle.When she came into the room, all eyes turned towards her.  
When she entered the room, all eyes turned towards her.
Je suis entré dans le salon sans que tu me voies.I walked into the living-room without you seeing me.
Nous avons entré les informations dans le programme.We entered the information into the program.
Les scientifiques ont entré les données dans l'ordinateur.The scientists entered the data into the computer.
Thinking...