French/Grammar/Tenses/Past imperative
Lessons · Vocabulary · Grammar · Appendices · Texts
Usage of the Past Imperative
[edit | edit source]The past imperative is only ever used for giving commands one would like to have done - this is a rare literary mood as the present imperative is used more frequently. Chances are that you'll never need to know this mood in your life, let alone use direct, indirect pronouns and negations with this!
1) Aie écrit ce rapport demain - Have this report written tomorrow.
2) Soyez partis à midi - Leave / be gone by noon.
3) Ayons fini les devoirs à 7h00 - Let's have our homework finished by 7h00.
4) N'aie jamais mangé tes légumes - Never have your vegetables eaten.
5) Ne l'aie pas déclarée coupable - Have her not found guilty.
Formation of the Past Imperative
[edit | edit source]- The impératif passé is a compound tense- it consists of two verbs, the auxiliary verb and the past participle of the verb one seeks to use in this tense.
- The auxiliary verb is conjugated as if it were being used in the present imperative.
- The past participle is added immediately after the auxiliary verb.
- A negative structure such as ne ... pas is always placed around the auxiliary verb, immediately before the past participle.
French : Lessons · Vocabulary · Grammar · Appendices · Texts