Take the fastest path to fluent French
Most verbs use either avoir or être as the auxiliary verb in Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) (or other compound tense), but repasser uses both, depending on its grammatical usage* and what it means in the sentence.
*Grammaphile's Corner : the technical grammatical distinction between these cases is actually whether the verb is used in a transitive or intransitive manner.
- The transitive version (the version with a direct object) uses avoir.
- The intransitive version (lacking a direct object), uses être.
- The transitive version (the version with a direct object) uses avoir.
- The intransitive version (lacking a direct object), uses être.
Using avoir or être with the verb REPASSER in Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) in French
être + repassé [par, chez, etc]
= to pass by [somewhere] again
= to come back by [somewhere]
= to pop back in [somewhere]
Tu es repassé à la boulangerie car tu avais oublié les croissants.You went back to the bakery because you had forgotten the croissants.
Note that in each case where être is the auxilliary, the verb repasser is followed by a preposition (en, sur, dans, à etc.).
So in these cases repasser is usually about passing by again, coming back by somewhere, or popping back in somewhere.
So in these cases repasser is usually about passing by again, coming back by somewhere, or popping back in somewhere.
avoir + repassé [quelque chose]
= to iron [something]
= to retake [a test or exam]
When repasser is followed immediately by a noun (as opposed to a preposition), it uses avoir as the auxiliary, like most verbs.
Here is the list of all "two-auxiliary" verbs in compound tenses:
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 »
