In this lesson, we will explain the recent past tense "Le passé récent", its use cases, and how to formulate it in an easy and simplified manner.
When do we use the recent past (le passé récent)?
We use the recent past to talk about an action that has just ended.
We use the recent past to express an event that happened just before the time of speaking.
The recent past is used informally, in oral communication or when sending messages to friends. It is not used formally, such as in official correspondence or journalistic articles.
How to form the recent past:
To form the recent past, we use the verb "venir" in the present tense as an auxiliary verb + the preposition "de" + the verb that we want to use in the infinitive form.
An example of conjugating the verb "Arriver" (to arrive) is as follows:
An example of conjugating the verb "Manger" (to eat) is as follows:
Examples:
| Le bus vient de partir. Tu dois attendre le prochain. | The bus has just left. You have to wait for the next one. |
| Je viens de boire mon café. | I have just drunk my coffee. |
| Ils viennent de finir leur travail. | They have just finished their work. |
| Ma sœur vient de commencer à faire le gâteau au chocolat. | My sister has just started making the chocolate cake. |
Negation:
| Je ne viens pas de boire mon café. | I have not just drunk my coffee. |
| Tu ne viens pas de faire tes devoirs. | You have not just done your homework. |
In summary, "Le passé récent" in French, or the recent past, is formed with the verb "venir" and is used to express actions that have just occurred. It adds immediacy to language, fitting for casual conversations and informal communication. However, it is not commonly employed in formal writing or official contexts.