Elle ________ monté le poney de Jérémie et il a été très docile. She mounted Jérémie's pony and he was very docile.

Question

Bonjour Tous,

The correct answer to the above question is given as 'Elle a monte'. But in the lesson it is very clear, montre meaning to get on something, takes etre. I see others are having trouble grappling with montre, I'm not sure the lesson helps. Au secours!

Céline Pickard · Accepted Answer

Bonjour Chris,
Maarten's answer about using "avoir" or "être" with "monter" is excellent! Bravo !
@Maarten, just one little comment about "demeurer": it does conjugates with "avoir" "when followed by a place (referring to a physical situation) even though that comes as an indirect object": the place is not considered an indirect object but an adverbial phrase of place, i.e. also called in "complément circonstantiel de lieu"

J'ai demeuré à Paris. -> Où as-tu demeuré ? -> À Paris
I lived in Paris. -> Where did you live? -> In Paris

J'ai demeuré chez lui. -> Où as-tu demeuré ? -> Chez lui
I lived at his house. -> Where did you live? -> At his house

I hope this is helpful.
Bonne journée !

Maarten Kamp · Answer

Chris,

when ‘ monter ‘ is followed by a direct object, it will conjugate with avoir in compound tenses. In this case the direct object is ‘ le poney ‘. In this context, whether in English or in French, the verb mount/monter is followed by a direct object.

A difficulty, as noted in the lesson, is that sometimes the use of direct or indirect objects ( prepositions) differs between English and French, so it can be hard to determine the French form from the English sentence. These differences just have to be learnt as you come across them.

However, if you know that the French expression is using a direct object as in this question, then the verb ‘ monter ‘ has to conjugate with avoir in compound tenses.

If there is an indirect object only, or no object, in the French expression then compound tenses will conjugate with être.

This ‘ rule ‘ holds true for most dual auxiliary French verbs.

Demeurer is an obvious exception as it conjugates with être when followed by an adjective ( referring to state of being ), and with avoir when followed by a place ( referring to a physical situation ) even though that Isn’t followed by a direct object. (PS edited last line after Celine’s response )

Demeurer can be used with avoir or être in compound tenses depending on its meaning in French (Le Passé Composé)

chris wallis · Answer

Thank you Maarten K That's helpful. The lesson is confusing becuae it says to 'get on ' something, eg a roof in the example, which is surely a direct object,  takes etre, but mounting  ie getting on a horse, takes avoir. Still confused but no doubt I will conquer it.