6.2.8

Avois & Être - Perfect Infinitive

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The Perfect Infinitive Using Avoir

The perfect infinitive translates as 'to have done something'. It's formed by using the infinitive of 'avoir' followed by a past participle. Only verbs that use 'avoir' in the perfect tense use 'avoir' here.

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ER verbs

  • Je regrette d'avoir oublié vos chaussures.
    • I regret having forgotten your shoes.
  • Après avoir déjeuné, je suis allé à Londres.
    • After having eaten lunch, I went to London
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IR verbs

  • Ne le jetez pas avant d'avoir fini.
    • Please don't throw it away until you have finished.
  • Je regrette d'avoir vomi hier soir.
    • I regret having thrown up last night.
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RE verbs

  • Je suis triste d'avoir perdu mon portable.
    • I am sad to have lost my phone.
  • Je regrette d'avoir vendu ma voiture.
    • I regret having sold my car.

The perfect infinitive translates as 'to have done something'. It's formed by using the infinitive of 'être' followed by a past participle. Only verbs that use 'être' in the perfect tense use 'être' here.

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ER verbs

  • Après être allé à Paris, je n'avais pas envie de rentrer à Manchester.
    • After having gone to Paris, I didn't want to go back to Manchester.
  • Je regrette d'être monté dans ce bus.
    • I regret having got on this bus.
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IR verbs

  • Après être sorti hier soir, je suis très fatigué aujourd'hui.
    • After having gone out last night, I am very tired today.
  • Je regrette d'être parti tôt hier.
    • I regret having left early yesterday.
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RE

  • Après être descendu sous le pont, il n'est pas revenu.
    • After having gone below deck, he hasn't come back.
  • Après être descendu derrière les montagnes, l'avion a disparu.
    • After having gone down behind the mountains, the plane disappeared.

Jump to other topics

1Everyday Activities

2Personal & Social Life

3The World Around Us

4The World of Work

5The International World

6Common Tenses

7Advanced Tenses

8Extra Grammar

8.1Articles

8.2The Passive Voice

8.3Pronouns

8.4Asking Questions

8.5Nouns

8.6Prepositions

8.7Adverbs

8.8Adjectives

8.9Negative

8.10Conjunctions

8.11Miscellaneous

8.12Verbs

8.13Numbers

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