7.2.4

Être IR & RE

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Regular IR Verbs

In French the same verbs that use 'être' in the perfect tense, also use it in the pluperfect tense. Here are the IR verbs that have regular past participle:

Sortir - to go out

Sortir - to go out

  • J'étais sorti(e) - I had gone out.
  • Tu étais sorti(e) - you (singular) had gone out.
  • Il/elle/on était sorti(e) - he/she/one had gone out.
  • Nous étions sorti(e)s - we had gone out.
  • Vous étiez sorti(e)(s) - you (plural/formal) had gone out.
  • Ils/elles étaient sorti(e)s - they had gone out.
Partir - to leave

Partir - to leave

  • J'étais parti(e) - I had left.
  • Tu étais parti(e) - you (singular) had left.
  • Il/elle/on était parti(e) - he/she/one had left.
  • Nous étions parti(e)s - we had left.
  • Vous étiez parti(e)(s) - you (plural/formal) had left.
  • Ils/elles étaient parti(e)s - they had left.

Regular RE Verbs

In French, the verbs that use 'être' in the perfect tense also use 'être' in the pluperfect tense. Here is the RE verb 'descendre' (to go down) that has a regular past participle:

Tu =étais= descend=u(e)= - you had gone down

Tu étais descendu(e) - you had gone down

  • 'Tu' means 'you' (singular).
Vous =étiez= descend=u(e)(s)= - you had gone down

Vous étiez descendu(e)(s) - you had gone down

  • 'Vous' means:
    • You (plural).
    • You (singular, formal).
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1

Everyday Activities

1.1

Time Expressions

1.1.1Time Expressions (1/2)1.1.2Time Expressions (2/2)1.1.3Telling the Time & Seasons1.1.4Days of the Week1.1.5Months1.1.6Date & Years1.1.7Time Expressions - Listening
1.2

Food & Drink

1.2.1Food1.2.2Fruits1.2.3Vegetables1.2.4Meat1.2.5Fish & Seafood1.2.6Snacks1.2.7Other Foods1.2.8Drinks1.2.9Cutlery & Utensils1.2.10Eating Out1.2.11Food Opinions1.2.12Food - Listening
1.3

The Human Body & Health

1.3.1The Head1.3.2The Body (1/2)1.3.3The Body (2/2)1.3.4The Body: Verbs & Expressions1.3.5Healthy1.3.6Unhealthy1.3.7Illness (1/2)1.3.8Illness (2/2)1.3.9Aches1.3.10Pains1.3.11The Human Body & Health - Listening
1.4

Travel & Transport

1.4.1Holidays1.4.2Accomodation1.4.3Going on Holiday1.4.4Transport1.4.5Tourism1.4.6Directions (1/2)1.4.7Directions (2/2)1.4.8Travel & Transport - Listening
2

Personal & Social Life

2.1

Self, Family & Friends

2.1.1Greetings2.1.2How Are You?2.1.3Describing Yourself2.1.4Physical Appearance2.1.5Personality2.1.6Family Members2.1.7Other Family Members2.1.8Role Model2.1.9Childhood2.1.10Friends2.1.11Opinions on Friends2.1.12Relationships2.1.13Self, Family & Friends - Listening
2.2

In the Home

2.2.1Home2.2.2Rooms of the House2.2.3In Your House2.2.4Furniture & Furnishing2.2.5Household Appliances2.2.6Daily Routine2.2.7Chores2.2.8Pocket Money2.2.9Home: Verbs & Expressions2.2.10Routine - Listening2.2.11In the Home - Listening
2.3

Colours

2.3.1Colours2.3.2More Colours2.3.3Colours - Listening
2.4

Clothes & Accessories

2.4.1Clothes (1/2)2.4.2Clothes (2/2)2.4.3Accessories2.4.4Style & Fashion2.4.5Clothes & Accessories: Verbs2.4.6Clothes - Listening
2.5

Leisure Time

2.5.1Free Time2.5.2Music2.5.3Cinema2.5.4TV2.5.5Sport2.5.6Why Do You Play Sports?2.5.7Different Sports2.5.8Sports With Jouer2.5.9Sports With Faire (1/2)2.5.10Sports With Faire (2/2)2.5.11Cinema & TV - Listening
3

The World Around Us

3.1

People & Places

3.1.1Continents3.1.2Masculine Countries3.1.3Feminine Countries3.1.4Nationalities3.1.5Compass Points3.1.6People & Places - Listening
3.2

Natural World, Environment, Climate & Weather

3.2.1The Environment3.2.2Animals3.2.3Good Weather3.2.4Bad Weather3.2.5The Climate - Verbs & Expressions3.2.6Natural World - Listening
3.3

Communications & Technology

3.3.1The Digital World (1/2)3.3.2The Digital World (2/2)3.3.3Social Media3.3.4Documents & Texts3.3.5Mobile Technology3.3.6Social Media - Listening3.3.7Mobile Technology - Listening
3.4

The Built Environment

3.4.1Where Do You Live?3.4.2What is There in Your Region?3.4.3Places in the Town3.4.4Things to Do3.4.5Shops3.4.6Money Matters3.4.7The Built Environment - Listening
3.5

Measurements

3.5.1Measurements3.5.2Measurements - Listening
3.6

Materials

3.6.1Materials3.6.2Materials - Listening
4

The World of Work

4.1

Education

4.1.1School Routine4.1.2Subjects (1/4)4.1.3Subjects (2/4)4.1.4Subjects (3/4)4.1.5Subjects (4/4)4.1.6School Life4.1.7School Trips4.1.8Education Post-164.1.9Learning a Language4.1.10Education - Listening
4.2

Work

4.2.1Jobs (1/2)4.2.2Jobs (2/2)4.2.3Career (1/2)4.2.4Career (2/2)4.2.5The Workplace4.2.6Job Applications4.2.7Charity4.2.8Work: Verbs & Expressions4.2.9Work - Listening
5

The International World

5.1

Culture, Customs, Faiths & Celebrations

5.1.1Culture, Customs, Faiths & Celebrations5.1.2Festivals & Customs (1/2)5.1.3Festivals & Customs (2/2)5.1.4Religious Festivals5.1.5Festivals in French-Speaking Countries - Listening
6

Common Tenses

6.1

Present Tense

6.1.1Regular ER Verbs6.1.2Regular IR Verbs6.1.3Regular RE Verbs6.1.4Reflexive Verbs6.1.5Irregular ER Verbs (1/2)6.1.6Irregular ER Verbs (2/2)6.1.7Irregular IR Verbs (1/2)6.1.8Irregular IR Verbs (2/2)6.1.9Irregular RE Verbs (1/3)6.1.10Irregular RE Verbs (2/3)6.1.11Irregular RE Verbs (3/3)6.1.12Present Participle (1/2)6.1.13Present Participle (2/2)6.1.14Irregular Present Participles6.1.15Avoir & Être6.1.16'Depuis' + Present Tense6.1.17'Venir De' + Present Tense
6.2

Perfect Tense

6.2.1Avoir (1/2)6.2.2Avoir (2/2)6.2.3Irregular Past Participles (1/2)6.2.4Irregular Past Participles (2/2)6.2.5Être ER Verbs6.2.6Être IR & RE Verbs6.2.7Irregular Être6.2.8Avois & Être - Perfect Infinitive6.2.9Être - Perfect Passive
6.3

Imperfect tense

6.3.1Regular ER Verbs6.3.2Regular IR Verbs6.3.3Regular RE Verbs6.3.4Irregular ER Verbs6.3.5Irregular IR Verbs6.3.6Irregular RE Verbs6.3.7Être6.3.8Être - Imperfect Passive Voice6.3.9'Depuis' + Imperfect Tense6.3.10'Venir De' + Imperfect Tense
6.4

Imperfect vs Perfect

6.4.1Imperfect vs Perfect: Which One to Use?
6.5

Future Tense

6.5.1Regular ER Verbs6.5.2Regular IR Verbs6.5.3Regular RE Verbs6.5.4Irregular Future Stem (1/2)6.5.5Irregular Future Stem (2/2)6.5.6Immediate Future6.5.7Future Passive Voice
7

Advanced Tenses

7.1

Conditional Tense

7.1.1Regular ER Verbs7.1.2Regular IR Verbs7.1.3Regular RE Verbs7.1.4Irregulars (1/2)7.1.5Irregulars (2/2)
7.2

Pluperfect Tense

7.2.1Avoir (1/2)7.2.2Avoir (2/2)7.2.3Être ER7.2.4Être IR & RE7.2.5Irregular Être
7.3

Present Subjunctive

7.3.1Regular Verbs (1/2)7.3.2Regular Verbs (2/2)7.3.3Irregulars (1/2)7.3.4Irregulars (2/2)7.3.5Using the Subjunctive7.3.6Imperative
8

Extra Grammar

8.1

Articles

8.1.1Definite & Indefinite Articles8.1.2Partitive Articles8.1.3'De' After Negative Verb Forms8.1.4Some
8.2

The Passive Voice

8.2.1Être - Present8.2.2Être - Perfect8.2.3Être - Future & Imperfect8.2.4Avoiding the Passive
8.3

Pronouns

8.3.1Personal Pronouns (1/2)8.3.2Personal Pronouns (2/2)8.3.3Reflexive Pronouns8.3.4Direct Object Pronouns: Le, La, Les, L'8.3.5Direct Object Pronouns: Agreement8.3.6Direct Object Pronouns: Imperative8.3.7Indirect Object Pronouns: Lui, Leur8.3.8DO & IO Pronouns: Combination8.3.9Demonstrative Pronouns8.3.10Neutral Demonstrative Pronouns8.3.11Interrogative Pronouns8.3.12Relative Pronouns8.3.13Possessive Pronouns8.3.14Indefinite Pronouns8.3.15Ça, Cela8.3.16Celui8.3.17Emphatic Pronouns
8.4

Asking Questions

8.4.1Question Words8.4.2Question Words: Est-Ce Que...
8.5

Nouns

8.5.1Gender: Masculine8.5.2Gender: Feminine (1/2)8.5.3Gender: Feminine (2/2)8.5.4Plurals8.5.5Irregular Plurals
8.6

Prepositions

8.6.1Prepositions (1/3)8.6.2Prepositions (2/3)8.6.3Prepositions (3/3)8.6.4Phrases
8.7

Adverbs

8.7.1Forming an Adverb8.7.2Forming an Adverb: Good, Badly, Fast8.7.3Adverbs of Time & Place8.7.4Interrogative Adverbs8.7.5Common Adverbial Phrases8.7.6Comparative Adverbs8.7.7Superlative Adverbs8.7.8A Lot, Enough, Very8.7.9Quantifiers
8.8

Adjectives

8.8.1Agreement8.8.2Irregular Agreements8.8.3No Pattern Irregulars8.8.4Position (1/2)8.8.5Position (2/2)8.8.6Possessive Adjectives8.8.7Demonstrative8.8.8Interrogative Adjectives8.8.9Indefinite8.8.10Comparative Adjectives8.8.11Superlative Adjectives8.8.12Good, Better, Best
8.9

Negative

8.9.1Negatives (1/2)8.9.2Negatives (2/2)
8.10

Conjunctions

8.10.1To Make Sentences Longer8.10.2To Add Extra Information
8.11

Miscellaneous

8.11.1Abbreviations8.11.2Expressions8.11.3Present
8.12

Verbs

8.12.1Boot Verbs8.12.2Impersonal Verbs8.12.3Verbs Governing An Infinitive
8.13

Numbers

8.13.1Numbers 1-108.13.2Numbers 11-208.13.3Numbers 21-298.13.4Numbers 30-1008.13.5Parties8.13.6Ordinal Numbers

Practice questions on Être IR & RE

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    How do you say 'we had left' in French?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    Which of these is NOT the correct form of the pluperfect tense?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    Select the correct forms of the perfect tense:True / false
  4. 4
    How do you say 'they had gone down' in French?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    Which of these is NOT the correct form of the pluperfect tense?Multiple choice
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Être ER

Irregular Être