Conjugate ouvrir/découvrir and derivatives (+ avoir) in the compound past in French (Le Passé Composé)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE

Last updated: 2023-02-02

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Learn how to conjugate OUVRIR (to open) in Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) in French

J'ai ouvert la fenêtre il y a une heure.I opened the window an hour ago.

Tu as ouvert le courrier ?Did you open the mail?

On a ouvert nos cadeaux.We opened our presents.

Nous avons ouvert ce magasin il y a dix ans.We opened that shop ten years ago.

Vous avez ouvert les yeux à la fin.You opened your eyes at the end.

Les mariés ont ouvert le bal.The married couple opened the ball.

In Le Passé Composé (conversational past), the verb ouvrir (to open) has an irregular past participle: ouvert, and works with avoir as an auxiliary.

avoir in Le Présent + ouvert

Other verbs ending in "- vrir" follow the same conjugation:

découvrir (to discover) -> découvert
couvrir (to cover) -> couvert
recouvrir (to recover / to cover entirely) -> recouvert
rouvrir / réouvrir (to reopen) -> rouvert / réouvert
redécouvrir (to rediscover) -> redécouvert

See also Conjugate offrir and souffrir (+ avoir) in the compound past in French (Le Passé Composé)

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Examples and resources

Il a ouvert la bouteille.He opened the bottle.