How to use the auxiliary verbs Être and Avoir

Être (to be) and Avoir (to have) are the two most important verbs to learn in French. Not only are they two of the most common verbs you'll come across, they also have an incredibly important function as auxiliary verbs.

Auxiliary verbs are used in the conjugations of certain tenses, namely the passé composé, plus-que-parfait, passé antérieur and futur antérieur, as well as certain tenses in the subjonctif and conditionnel. In these tenses, the auxiliary verb is combined with the participle to indicate a particular tense. In these cases, you should only conjugate the auxiliary verb — the participle of the main verb stays the same.

Here are two examples, with each of the auxiliary verbs.

In the tenses listed above, every verb must be conjugated with either 'Être' or 'Avoir'. But how do you know which verb takes which auxiliary?

The basic rule of thumb is as follows:

'Avoir' is used for transitive verbs (that is, verbs that take a direct object). Examples include 'Manger', 'Voir', 'Regarder' and 'Lancer'.

'Être' is used for intransitive verbs (that is, verbs that do not take a direct object), especially verbs of movement. Examples include 'Venir', 'Aller', 'Rester' and 'Sortir'.

It is also used for reflexive verbs. A reflexive verb is used when the verb's object is the same as its subject, and is always combined with an accusative pronoun. Examples include 'Se baigner' and 'Se réveiller'.

It's also important to note that many verbs, such as 'Finir' and 'Chanter', can take either 'Être' or 'Avoir' depending on whether they are used as a transitive or intransitive verb.