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French Past Infinitive - Infinitif passé

How to conjugate the French past infinitive

By , About.com Guide

The past infinitive is a compound conjugation, which means it has two parts:
  1. infinitive of the auxiliary verb (either avoir or être)
     
  2. past participle of the main verb

Note: Like all French compound conjugations, the past infinitive may be subject to grammatical agreement:
  • When the auxiliary verb is être, the past participle must agree with the subject
     
  • When the auxiliary verb is avoir, the past participle may have to agree with its direct object
     

parlerchoisirvendre
avoir parléavoir choisiavoir vendu
 
allersortirdescendre
être allé(e)(s)être sorti(e)(s)être descendu(e)(s)
 
se taires'évanouirse souvenir
s'être tu(e)(s)s'être évanoui(e)(s)s'être souvenu(e)(s)
 
 
Since the infinitive auxiliary verb is unconjugated, the past infinitive is the same conjugation for all subjects.
 
Je veux avoir terminé...I want to have finished...
Nous voulons avoir terminé...We want to have finished...
 
However, you do need to follow the normal rules of agreement:
 
Après être sortis, nous...After having gone out, we...
J'ai téléphoné à Anne après l'avoir vue.I called Anne after having seen her.
 
And pronominal verbs still need a reflexive pronoun that agrees with the subject.
 
Je veux m'être habillé avant midi.I want to have gotten dressed before noon.
Après vous être lavés...After you've washed up...

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