Some verbs are special in the passé composé
When learning the passé composé, we generally learn a list of verbs that take être as a helping verb (including reflexive verbs), and all other verbs take avoir. However, there is a group of special French verbs that take être and avoir in the passé composé as helping verbs: passer, monter, descendre, sortir, rentrer, retourner.
Scroll down to watch my video lesson on this French grammar topic, and you can download a PDF of this lesson guide in my private French Grammar Library.
Here’s the difference:
When these verbs are used with a direct object, they need to take avoir as a helping verb. When they are not used with a direct object, they take être.
When these verbs are used with a direct object, the meaning changes.
Examples of Special French Verbs That Take Être And Avoir In The Passé Composé
| French Verb | Être Helping Verb | Avoir Helping Verb |
| passer | Je suis passé(e) par la boulangerie. | Tu m’as passé le sel? |
| I stopped by the bakery. | Did you pass me the salt? |
| French Verb | Être Helping Verb | Avoir Helping Verb |
| monter | Je suis monté(e). | J’ai monté l’escalier. |
| I went upstairs. | I went up the stairs. |
| French Verb | Être Helping Verb | Avoir Helping Verb |
| descendre | Je suis descendu(e) par l’ascenseur. | J’ai descendu mes bagages. |
| I took the elevator down. | I took my luggage down (or downstairs). |
| French Verb | Être Helping Verb | Avoir Helping Verb |
| sortir | Je suis sorti(e) vers 18h00. | J’ai sorti toutes mes chaussures. |
| I went out around 6pm. | I took out all of my shoes. |
| French Verb | Être Helping Verb | Avoir Helping Verb |
| rentrer | Je suis rentré(e) chez moi. | J’ai rentré la voiture. |
| I went home. | I brought the car in. |
| French Verb | Être Helping Verb | Avoir Helping Verb |
| retourner | Je suis retourné(e) au café. | J’ai retourné la crêpe. |
| I went back to the café. | I turned the crêpe over. |
This can be tricky…
Sometimes it can be confusing if you’re trying to directly translate from English to French, because certain verbs require direct objects in English, while they require prepositional phrases in French.
When deciding what to do with the special French verbs that sometimes take être and sometimes take avoir as helping verbs in the passé composé: passer, monter, descendre, sortir, rentrer, retourner…
Just remember:
Use avoir when there’s a direct object, which is a noun that completes the meaning of the verb without using a preposition. Many verbs that don’t require prepositions in English require them in French.
