past tense phrases in French
Learn French phrases (Past tense 1)
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Learning past tense phrases in French is important for several reasons:
- Communication: Being able to express actions and events that have already happened is essential for effective communication. When discussing your experiences, talking about historical events, or narrating a story, you need to use the past tense to accurately convey the information.
- Comprehension: By learning past tense phrases, you’ll be able to understand and follow conversations or written texts that are set in the past. Many books, movies, and songs involve stories or events that took place in the past, so understanding the past tense is crucial for comprehension.
| English | French |
|---|---|
| I went | Je suis allé(e) |
| You ate | [responsivevoice voice="French Female" rate="0.8" buttontext="►"]Tu as mangé |
| He/she played | Il/Elle a joué |
| We saw | Nous avons vu |
| You (plural) sang | Vous avez chanté |
| They danced | Ils/Elles ont dansé |
| I studied | J’ai étudié |
| You (formal) spoke | Vous avez parlé |
| He/she arrived | Il/Elle est arrivé(e) |
| We slept | Nous avons dormi |
| You (plural) wrote | Vous avez écrit |
| They read | Ils/Elles ont lu |
| I bought | J’ai acheté |
| You (informal) drank | Tu as bu |
| He/she listened | Il/Elle a écouté |
| We laughed | Nous avons ri |
| You (plural) watched | Vous avez regardé |
| They traveled | Ils/Elles ont voyagé |
| I forgot | J’ai oublié |
| You (formal) left | Vous êtes parti(e) |
Please note that in French, verbs change their forms depending on the subject (je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles) and can also be influenced by gender and number.
