Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in French

In French, as in English, there are transitive and intransitive verbs in French. The concept is similar to that in English but with some nuances of the French language.

Transitive Verbs (Verbes Transitifs)

Transitive verbs in French are verbs that require a direct object to complete their meaning. These verbs act upon or transfer their action to something or someone, just like in English. The direct object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb. In French, the direct object is often introduced by the articles “le,” “la,” “les,” “l’,” or “des.” 

  • Here are a couple of examples:
    • J’ai mangé le gâteau. (I ate the cake.)
    • Elle adore les chiens. (She loves dogs.)

Intransitive Verbs (Verbes Intransitifs)

Intransitive verbs in French, like in English, do not require a direct object to complete their meaning. They often describe actions or states that do not transfer to another noun or pronoun. Here are some examples:

  • Il dort. (He is sleeping.) (No direct object is needed.)
  • Elle chante. (She is singing.) (No direct object is needed.)

A transitive verb is one that is accompanied by a direct object complement. When it is an indirect object complement we call it an intransitive verb. In the latter case, we often have a preposition (à, de, par, pour, sans, sur…).In intransitive verbs, the action of the verb is not performed directly by/on the subject but it is indirect and hence the preposition separates the subject and the object.

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in Passé Composé

In French, there are a few verbs that typically use “être” as their auxiliary verb in passé composé when used intransitively but switch to “avoir” as their auxiliary verb when used transitively with a direct object. 

Here is a list of such verbs: Monter (to go up), Descendre (to go down), Entrer(to go in), Rentrer (to go back), Passer (to pass), Sortir(to go out), Retourner(to turn around). As you will see in the below examples,  

  • When used intransitively (without a direct object), they use “être” as the auxiliary verb.
  • However, when used transitively (with a direct object), they use “avoir” as the auxiliary verb.

Used intransitively:

  • Elle est montée. – She went up. (No direct object)
  • Elle est montée par l’escalier. – She went up the stairs. (Indirect object with preposition)
  • Il est descendu. – He went down. (No direct object)
  • Ils sont descendus par les parachutes.-They came down with parachutes. (Indirect object with preposition)
  • Il est passé par là. – He passed by there. (Indirect object with preposition)
  • Nous sommes rentrés dans la chambre. – We went back into the room. (Indirect object with preposition)

Used transitively with a direct object:

  • Elle a monté les escaliers. – She climbed the stairs. 
  • Il a descendu les bagages. – He brought down the luggage.
  • Il a passé l’examen. – He passed the exam.
  • J’ai retourné la voiture.-I returned the car.

These verbs are exceptions and demonstrate how the choice of the auxiliary verb can change depending on whether the verb is used in a transitive or intransitive context. For intransitive uses, “être” is used to show movement, while in transitive uses, “avoir” is used to indicate that the action is performed on a direct object. It’s essential to understand the context in which these verbs are used to select the correct auxiliary verb and form the passé composé accurately.

The distinction between using “être” or “avoir” as the auxiliary verb in compound tenses for six of these verbs is determined by whether the subject is moving independently or in relation to a direct object.

If the subject itself is moving independently, the verb is being applied indirectly usually with a preposition in between the action and the object then it is intransitive, and “être” is used. 

(Hint: Indirect means where the verb is not directly acting on the object but there is a preposition in between. Indirect = Intransitive = etre all three start with “e” sound.)

If there is a direct object involved, that is the action is applied directly on the object (no preposition in between) which makes the verb transitive, and  “avoir” is used. 

Note: In some cases, the verbs carry a different meaning when used transitive or intransitive. Example: Passer used transitively means “to go through” or to send time whereas when used intransitively it means “to pass by”.

“Sortir” is typically used as an intransitive verb in French, which means it doesn’t take a direct object. When used intransitively, “sortir” means “to go out” or “to leave.” If you want to express the idea of causing someone or something to go out, you might use a different verb like “faire sortir.” Here are a couple of examples:

  • J’ai fait sortir le chat de la maison. – I made the cat go out of the house.
  • Le professeur a fait sortir les élèves de la salle de classe. – The teacher made the students leave the classroom.

In these examples, “faire sortir” is used as the transitive verb to indicate that someone or something is causing others to go out. “Sortir” itself is still used intransitively to describe the action of going out or leaving.

Exercises:

1.Identify whether the verb is transitive or intransitive and fill in the blanks with the correct form. All verbs are to be written in passe compose.

  1. Elles ________________ de la maison. (sortir)
  2. Elle _________________ la clé sur la table avant de partir. (retourner)
  3.  Ils _____________________ une semaine en France l’été dernier. (passer )
  4. Elles ___________________ l’été dernier en France.(passer)
  5. La semaine dernière, je ______________ mon temps à nettoyer ma maison.(passer)
  6. Je _____________ à la maison tout de suite. (rentrer).
  7. Le chat ________________ sur le toit.(monter)
  8. Je _______________ le livre à Marie. (passer)
  9. Il __________________ de la montagne.(descendre)
  10. Je _______________________ le livre à la bibliothèque.(retourner)
  11. Je ______________ devant la boutique.(passer)
  12. Elle _____________ la porte. (passer)

Answer Key: (T-Transitive IT-Intransitive) 

1. IT 2. T 3. T 4. T 5. T, 6. IT 5. IT 6. IT 7. IT 8. T 9. IT 10. T  11. IT, 12. T

2. Choose the correct form of the verb to fill in the blanks in passe compose. Pay attention, some verbs may appear as transitive or intransitive.

  1. Elle ____________________ de Paris. (revenir)
  2. Il ______________ dans la piscine. (tomber)
  3. Nous ________________ dans la salle. (entrer)
  4. Elle est née à Paris. (She was born in Paris.)
  5. Hier, nous _____ au cinéma pour voir un bon film. (sortir)
  6. Les escaliers étaient glissants, mais il a réussi à _____ sans tomber. (monter)
  7. Les enfants sont fatigués après avoir _____ toute la journée. (descendre)
  8. Après les vacances, ils _____ chez eux et se sont reposés. (rentrer)

Answer Key: Except 6,7 and 8 all are transitive.

arc de triumph

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The Arc de Triomphe

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