Déscendre and monter..

Question

I just can’t get to grips with these two in the passé composé with Avoir and être… I struggle to get the difference between the examples in the lesson and then struggle even more in the quizzes! Is there a trick to understanding the difference between the two versions? Thank you

Answer

Hi Steven
In general terms monter/descendre is transitive (takes a direct object) and is thus conjugated with aller in the compound tenses when the past participle is is followed by a determiner (+noun) or where the direct object or object pronoun precedes the participle. Determiners are words such as definite and indefinite articles, demonstrative pronouns, possesive pronouns , numbers etc. which precede nouns.
J'ai monté l'escalier - I went up the stairs
Il a démonté sa souris d'ordinateur - he took his computer mouse to pieces
Elle a descendu dix livres de la étagère - she took down10 books from the shelf
Ils les ont descendues - They brought them down (eg suitcases)
La montagne que j'ai montée est belle

Monter/descentre  is intransitive (takes an indirect object) and is thus conjugated with être in the compound tenses when the past participle is is followed by a preposition or by nothing, or where the indirect object pronoun precedes the participle.
Le prix de pain est monté - The price of bread has increased
Elle est montée dans sa chambre - She went up to bedroom
Ils y sont descendus - They went down there (eg ravine)Elles en sont descendues - They disembarked (eg from a taxi).Bottom line:followed by a determiner + noun or preceded by a direct object: conjugate with avoirfollowed by a preposition or preceded by an indirect object: conjugate with êtreI hope this has helped and not confused you further!

Answer

Sorry about the formatting at the end.

Answer

Hi Tom,
Thank you for your excellent answer. The only thing I would like to correct is the example in your intransitive section of the price of bread going up -
It would be:
Le prix du pain a monté. = The price of bread has risen.
It is an odd one but it is the same when you talk about the level of a river rising:
La Garonne a encore monté cette nuit. =The Garonne river's level rose again last night.
Les prix ont monté considérablement cette année. = Prices have risen sharply this year.
Hope this helps!