Ch 7 · Lesson 16French · Chapter 7 · Lesson 16 · Grammar primer
Je suis sorti, j'ai sorti le sac
verbs take when they have a direct object, and the meaning shifts: (I went out), (I took the bag out).
The short version
A direct object switches
.
Why?Hide
, , , , and take when they say where you went, and when they act on something: (I went out), (I took the bag out). Ask whether there is a direct object.
The verbs that take both
verbs switch to when they take a direct object, and the meaning shifts with it:
| Verb | être (no object) | avoir (+ object) |
|---|---|---|
| I went out | I took the bag out |
| I went up | I took the books up |
| I came home | I put the car away |
| I went past | I spent a week |
and work the same way: . (I went down.) against . (I brought the books down.)
The test is mechanical: is the verb acting on something? Then . Is it saying where the subject went? Then . And means I sat an exam, not I passed it.
Going further: The default is avoir and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
Practise this lesson
8-question session
One question at a time, mixed across the exercises in this lesson. Miss one and it comes back round before the end.
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