French Past Participle Agreements

Explanation: The direct object "les pommes" is referenced by "que" placed before the verb. The past participle therefore agrees with this feminine plural direct object: "données".

Explanation: With a pronominal verb, when the direct object (here "les mains") comes after the verb, the past participle does not agree with the subject. We write "lavé".

Explanation: The past participle of "faire" followed by an infinitive is always invariable. Therefore, we write "fait construire" regardless of the gender or number of the direct object.

Explanation: The direct object "Les fleurs" (feminine plural) is placed before the verb avoir. The past participle therefore agrees: "offertes".

Explanation: The verb "se vendre" is a pronominal with passive meaning. The past participle agrees with the subject "Ces livres" (masculine plural): "vendus".

Explanation: With "laisser" followed by an infinitive, since the 1990 reforms, the past participle can remain invariable. Traditionally, it agrees if the direct object performs the action of the infinitive. Invariable "laissé" is accepted.

Explanation: With a perception verb (entendre, voir, écouter...) + infinitive, the past participle agrees if the direct object performs the action. Here "la chanson" doesn't sing, it is being sung. The past participle remains invariable: "entendu".

Explanation: With the impersonal verb "il y a", the past participle always remains invariable, regardless of the complement that follows. We write "eu".

Explanation: Verbs of measurement (coûter, peser, valoir, durer, marcher, courir...) used with a complement of measure (not a true direct object) have an invariable past participle.

Explanation: When the direct object is the pronoun "en", the past participle generally remains invariable according to the classical rule. However, some grammarians accept agreement.

Explanation: When the past participle is followed by an infinitive, it agrees with the direct object if it performs the action of the infinitive. Here "les documents" don't sign, they are to be signed. The past participle remains invariable.

Explanation: The verb "s'apercevoir" is an essentially pronominal verb (doesn't exist without "se"). Its past participle always agrees with the subject: "aperçues".

Explanation: The pronoun "l'" refers to "cette victoire" (feminine singular) and is placed before the verb. The past participle "cru" therefore agrees with this direct object: we write "crue".

Explanation: The verb "coûter" in its figurative sense (requiring effort) follows the same rule as in its literal sense: the complement of measure is not a true direct object, so the past participle remains invariable.

Explanation: With "se plaire", "se complaire", "se déplaire", "se rire", "se sourire", the past participle is always invariable because the pronoun "se" is an indirect object (plaire à quelqu'un).

Explanation: With a reciprocal pronominal verb, we look for the direct object. Here "des cadeaux" is the direct object placed after, so the past participle does not agree. We write "offert".

Explanation: When "combien" refers to the direct object, the past participle agrees with it. "Fautes" is feminine plural, so we write "faites".

Explanation: In "se rendre compte", the word "compte" is the direct object. The pronoun "se" is therefore an indirect object. The past participle remains invariable: "rendu compte".

Explanation: With a perception verb + infinitive, the past participle agrees if the direct object performs the action of the infinitive. Here "la cantatrice" does sing (she performs the action), so we agree: "entendue".

Explanation: "Auxquelles" is a relative pronoun functioning as indirect object (parler à quelqu'un). Since the direct object is not placed before the verb, the past participle remains invariable: "parlé".