French · Chapter 8 · Lesson 8 · Grammar primer
The passe compose with avoir
avoir + past participle. The default compound past, the regular participles -e / -i / -u, the three you must memorise (ete, eu, fait), and a flag that a small closed set of verbs takes etre instead.
The short version
Être verbs make the participle agree
Most verbs take avoir and the participle sits still. The MRS VANDERTRAMP set of movement verbs, plus every reflexive, takes être instead, and then the participle agrees with the subject exactly like an adjective: elle est allée, ils sont arrivés, elle s'est levée.
Elle s'est levée tôt ce matin.
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