Partir (to leave) · Passé Composé
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Partir in the French passé composé is: je suis parti, tu es parti, il/elle/on est parti, nous sommes partis, vous êtes parti, ils/elles sont partis. The passé composé of partir uses ÊTRE + past participle 'parti' with subject agreement. 'Je suis parti' (masc) / 'je suis partie' (fem). One of the 'house of être' motion verbs.
| To Leave | Partir |
|---|---|
| I left | je suis parti |
| you left | tu es parti |
| he/she left | il/elle/on est parti |
| we left | nous sommes partis |
| you left | vous êtes parti |
| they left | ils/elles sont partis |
Partir (to leave) in context
Sentences that use partir in the passé composé. Tap each to hear it.
I left early this morning.
You left without saying goodbye.
She left crying.
We went on vacation in June.
You left before the end of the film.
They went to live abroad.
Working with the passé composé
The passé composé is French's dominant past tense — used in almost every spoken past reference ("j'ai mangé" = "I ate" or "I have eaten"). It's a COMPOUND tense formed with an auxiliary (avoir for most verbs, être for ~17 motion/state verbs and all reflexives) plus a past participle. Two things to memorise: which verbs take être (aller, venir, partir, sortir, arriver, monter, descendre, naître, mourir, rester, tomber, devenir, retourner, entrer, rentrer, passer, revenir — the so-called "house of être"), and agreement rules (être verbs agree with the subject; avoir verbs only agree with a preceding direct object).
Frequently asked questions
How do you form the passé composé of partir?
Why does partir use 'être' as auxiliary?
Should I use 'je suis parti' (passé composé) or 'je partais' (imparfait)?
Practice Partir (To Leave) in real conversations
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