Hi, in the question where
“J'ai épousé Marianne”
becomes
“Je l'ai épousée”.
Why “épousée”? The aux. verb is avoir, and we’re using a direct object pronoun, so I thought it should be “épousé”.
Look at these sentences:
Ces épisodes? Il les avait déjà vus.
These episodes? He had already seen them.
La télé? Oui, Marc l'a regardée.
Telly? Yes, Marc watched it.
Et le concert ? Les enfants l'ont adoré.
What about the concert? The children loved it.
Olivier t'a demandée en mariage !
Olivier proposed to you!
Tu lui as parlé.
You talked to her.
Ça leur est arrivé la semaine dernière.
It happened to them last week.
In a sentence with a verb conjugated in a compound tense, the object pronoun, indirect or direct, is placed as follows:
Subject of the verb + object pronoun + auxiliary avoir or être + past participle
See also the more advanced lesson on past participle agreement with direct objects: Special cases when the past participle agrees (in number & gender) when used with 'avoir' in Le Passé Composé
See also:
Replacing nouns with le, la, l', les = it, him, her, them (direct object pronouns)
Me, te, nous, vous = Me, you, us, you (direct and indirect object pronouns)
Replacing people with lui, leur = him, her, them (indirect object pronouns)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Tu lui as parlé.
You talked to her.
Ces épisodes? Il les avait déjà vus.
These episodes? He had already seen them.
Olivier t'a demandée en mariage !
Olivier proposed to you!
La télé? Oui, Marc l'a regardée.
Telly? Yes, Marc watched it.
Ça leur est arrivé la semaine dernière.
It happened to them last week.
Et le concert ? Les enfants l'ont adoré.
What about the concert? The children loved it.
Q&A Forum 13 questions, 23 answers
Hi Brian,
It is because of the rule of agreement of the preceding direct object pronoun and the past participle with avoir -
Je l'ai épousée
l' = Marianne which is feminine -----> épousé takes an extra -e.
Je les ai mariés = I married them
Take a look at the following Kwiziq lesson for more examples:
Hope this helps!
Brian asked:View original
Extra “e” with avoir & direct on. Pronoun??
Hi, in the question where
“J'ai épousé Marianne”
becomes
“Je l'ai épousée”.
Why “épousée”? The aux. verb is avoir, and we’re using a direct object pronoun, so I thought it should be “épousé”.
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MichaelKwiziq community member
Past particles don’t agree with indirect objects
Hi Aurélie,
I notice a few people have asked the same question about the sentence - Tu lui as parlé' being translated as 'You talked to her' but parlé not agreeing with a feminine ‘lui’. You have said that the past participle doesn’t agree with an indirect object pronoun, and refer people to the advanced lesson: Special cases where the past participle agrees... However that lesson only talks about direct object pronouns and doesn’t actually say that the past participle doesn’t agree with an indirect object pronouns. I wondered if - for completeness and clarity - you could add that to the lesson, if it is not covered elsewhere. Many thanks.
Asked 3 weeks ago
Bonjour Michael !
That's indeed an excellent suggestion, and I've now updated the lesson accordingly :)
Please have a look :
https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/revision/grammar/special-cases-when-the-past-participle-agrees-in-number-and-gender-when-used-with-avoir-in-le-passe-compose-conversational-past
Merci beaucoup et bonne journée !
Michael asked:View original
Past particles don’t agree with indirect objects
Hi Aurélie,
I notice a few people have asked the same question about the sentence - Tu lui as parlé' being translated as 'You talked to her' but parlé not agreeing with a feminine ‘lui’. You have said that the past participle doesn’t agree with an indirect object pronoun, and refer people to the advanced lesson: Special cases where the past participle agrees... However that lesson only talks about direct object pronouns and doesn’t actually say that the past participle doesn’t agree with an indirect object pronouns. I wondered if - for completeness and clarity - you could add that to the lesson, if it is not covered elsewhere. Many thanks.
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MarnieKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
"In a Clothes Store" writing test
Bonjour Aurélie et Cécile,
My problem is with this phrase in the above writing lesson
"...jacket that I bought FROM you two weeks ago." Correct translation given is :"que je vous ai achetée il y a deux semaines."
I can't find the lesson describing this usage of object pronouns. Why is it not "que j'ai acheté DE vous"? Does not "que je vous ai acheté" mean that I bought FOR you? Please explain using FROM in this context. Thanks!
Asked 9 months ago
Hi Marnie,
You could say -
...que j’ai acheté chez vous...
Indeed que je vous ai acheté can mean that I bought you but in that context it is clear that it is a return...
Marnie asked:View original
"In a Clothes Store" writing test
Bonjour Aurélie et Cécile,
My problem is with this phrase in the above writing lesson
"...jacket that I bought FROM you two weeks ago." Correct translation given is :"que je vous ai achetée il y a deux semaines."
I can't find the lesson describing this usage of object pronouns. Why is it not "que j'ai acheté DE vous"? Does not "que je vous ai acheté" mean that I bought FOR you? Please explain using FROM in this context. Thanks!
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DangaKwiziq community member
Is the translation given for "Ça leur est arrivé la semaine dernière" above correct? I thought it means "they arrived there last week"?
Asked 11 months ago
Ça leur est arrivé la semaine dernière. -- That happened to them last week.
DangaKwiziq community member
Thanks, I guess learning French comes with alot rewiring my English coded brain
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Yes, I empathise with you. The problem is that half of the wiring is helpful and the other half is misleading. The problem is telling one from the other. :)
It helped me to tell myself, literally, "I am going to think French now," before each lesson.
Danga asked:View original
Is the translation given for "Ça leur est arrivé la semaine dernière" above correct? I thought it means "they arrived there last week"?
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LalongiKwiziq community member
Agreement when using etre for the past tense? If you have a masculine or singular subejct, but your DO is feminine ro plural, do you make agreement?
Ex) Il est monté la tour Eiffel.
Il l'est monté or Il l'est montée?
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Lalongi,
Il a monté la Tour Eiffel en escalier --- Il l'a montée en escalier
Note the use of 'avoir' with 'monter quelque chose'.
I prefer to use the verb 'escalader' here :
Le cascadeur a escaladé la Tour Eiffel à mains nues = The Stunt man climbed the Eiffel Tower with bare hands
So it will be also -"Il l'a escaladée"
Hope this helps!
Lalongi asked:View original
Agreement when using etre for the past tense? If you have a masculine or singular subejct, but your DO is feminine ro plural, do you make agreement?
Ex) Il est monté la tour Eiffel.
Il l'est monté or Il l'est montée?
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JackKwiziq community member
Please- why is 'voulu' changed in gender and number using 'avoir' ? I thought that only happened with 'être'.
Asked 1 year ago
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
If you look at the sentence in question (and, yes, it would be helpful to know what exactly you are referring to) you'll probably notice that there is a direct object coming somewhere before the participle. Something along these lones:
Les fleures sont très belles. Tu les as vues ?
If the direct object (les) precedes the participle, the participle matches the direct object in number and gender.
Jack asked:View original
Please- why is 'voulu' changed in gender and number using 'avoir' ? I thought that only happened with 'être'.
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RonKwiziq community member
Your answer leaves me confused when you refer to an advanced change in the rule concerning the agreement when using “avoir”. Also that it “can” agree.
Asked 1 year ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Ron !
Unfortunately, I don't know what answer you're referring to, so can't really help you yet :)
Ron asked:View original
Your answer leaves me confused when you refer to an advanced change in the rule concerning the agreement when using “avoir”. Also that it “can” agree.
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HughKwiziq community member
Agreement of Participle with Indirect Object
Whoops, my question was posted incomplete.
As I was saying (!), in the examples there is agreement between the indirect object and the participle:
La télé? Oui, Marc l'a regardée
Ces épisodes? Il les avait déjà vus
If this is the case, then shouldn't 'Tu lui as parlé' translate as 'You talked to him', BUT 'Tu lui as parlée translate as 'You talked to her'?
Asked 1 year ago
Bonjour Hugh !
Actually you never agree the past participle with an indirect object, only a direct object placed before the auxiliary avoir.
Have a look at our related lesson:
https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/revision/grammar/special-cases-when-the-past-participle-agrees-in-number-and-gender-when-used-with-avoir-in-le-passe-compose-conversational-past
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
Hugh asked:View original
Agreement of Participle with Indirect Object
Whoops, my question was posted incomplete.
As I was saying (!), in the examples there is agreement between the indirect object and the participle:
La télé? Oui, Marc l'a regardée
Ces épisodes? Il les avait déjà vus
If this is the case, then shouldn't 'Tu lui as parlé' translate as 'You talked to him', BUT 'Tu lui as parlée translate as 'You talked to her'?
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TrentonKwiziq community member
Bonjour
Can you please tell me the placement of it in regards to all the verbs like present, passe compose, futur simple, etc? please i need it for my exam
Asked 1 year ago
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
What do you need to know over and above what's said in the lesson? Can you be more specific?
-- Chris.
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
What do you need to know over and above what's said in the lesson? Can you be more specific?
-- Chris.
Trenton asked:View original
Bonjour
Can you please tell me the placement of it in regards to all the verbs like present, passe compose, futur simple, etc? please i need it for my exam
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StuartKwiziq community member
La télé? Je l’ai regardé
Is the l’ part related to vowels not being able to go together? I read about ma amie becoming mon amie - is it the same for when la and ai come together also?
Asked 1 year ago
Bonjour Stuart !
Oui tout à fait!
See our article on elision :)
https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/my-languages/french/glossary/85
Bonne journée !
Stuart asked:View original
La télé? Je l’ai regardé
Is the l’ part related to vowels not being able to go together? I read about ma amie becoming mon amie - is it the same for when la and ai come together also?
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StephenKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Re: "Laura adore ces bonbons. Tu les as goûtés?"
"Respectfully submit that the English translation is wrong here...shouldn't it say "Have you tasted them?" (present perfect)...not "Did you taste them?"?
Asked 2 years ago
Bonjour tout le monde,
While I don't think "did you taste ..." is wrong per se (I can think of scenarios where it would be the preferred answer), without context "have you tasted..." is the obvious choice, so we've updated the kwiz accordingly. Bon courage !
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
The usage of present perfect and imperfect tenses in English does not parallel their correspondimg use in French. Normally, when relating single occurrences in the past, you use the imperfect in English and the passé composé in French. Hence the apparent discrepancy in the example you cite.
-- Chris (not a native speaker)
StephenKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Sorry but the above can only be translated in the head of an educated native speaker as "have you tasted them?" Simple past is used in English to describe single events (that have finished) in the past. Present Perfect is NOT used in this way-Present perfect connects the present to the past-that is, the event hasn't finished.-you certainly don't use imperfect in English for single occurrences as you do with passé composé. I am an educated native speaker who has taught ESL for a long, long time.
Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Hi Stephen,
I agree that the strict translation should be "Have you tasted them" but "Did you taste them" is the only correct answer of those offered, as I see it.
I suggest that " Did you____" is equivalent to "Have you____" in this context.
Do you not agree?
Regards,
Alan ( Non-native speaker)
Stephen asked:View original
Re: "Laura adore ces bonbons. Tu les as goûtés?"
"Respectfully submit that the English translation is wrong here...shouldn't it say "Have you tasted them?" (present perfect)...not "Did you taste them?"?
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AurélieKwiziq team member
Kristin asked: "Je l'ai épousée." Why the "- e" at the end of "épousée" ?"
Asked 3 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Kristin !
This is due to a more advanced rule of agreement with "avoir" as auxiliary.
Though you've learnt that the past participle never agrees with the subject of the verb with "avoir" as auxiliary, it can agree with the direct object of the verb when this one is placed before "avoir".
This is the case when using direct object pronouns, as they're always placed before the auxiliary in compound tenses.
Here is a link to our related lesson:
Special cases when the past participle agrees (in number & gender) when used with 'avoir' in Le Passé Composé">Special cases when the past participle agrees (in number & gender) when used with 'avoir' in Le Passé Composé
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
This is due to a more advanced rule of agreement with "avoir" as auxiliary.
Though you've learnt that the past participle never agrees with the subject of the verb with "avoir" as auxiliary, it can agree with the direct object of the verb when this one is placed before "avoir".
This is the case when using direct object pronouns, as they're always placed before the auxiliary in compound tenses.
Here is a link to our related lesson:
Special cases when the past participle agrees (in number & gender) when used with 'avoir' in Le Passé Composé">Special cases when the past participle agrees (in number & gender) when used with 'avoir' in Le Passé Composé
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
KathyKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
In this case, does "Tu lui as parlé" imply that the object pronoun "lui" is masculine, or does the rule only apply to *direct* object pronouns?
Merci en avance!
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Kathy !
The rule only applies to direct object pronouns, so here it could still be masculine or feminine :)
À bientôt !
Aurélie asked:View original
Kristin asked: "Je l'ai épousée." Why the "- e" at the end of "épousée" ?"
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