Take the fastest path to fluent French
Learn when to use Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) in French
Look at these usages of Le Passé Composé (Indicatif):
Note that although Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) is structurally similar to English Present Perfect (I have done), in most cases, it is the direct equivalent to the English Simple Past (I did).
Indeed, the French Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) refers to a single past action that is definite, with a clear start and end, and looked at as one point in time (hence often paired with a clear date or timeframe).
ATTENTION:
In some cases, Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) can be translated either as Simple Past or Present Perfect:
The nuances we have in English between I went and I have gone don't really exist in French. They're instead expressed through the context and the tone used.
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 »
