Subjonctif past - formation with être

This grammar point is a "compound tense." This means it is made of two parts. It works very much like the Passé Composé you already know. You have a helping verb (the auxiliary) and a main action verb (the past participle). For this specific rule, the helping verb is always être. However, we don't use the normal être. We use the subjunctive version of it. Then, we add the past participle of the verb that actually happened. This action must be completely finished before the main part of your sentence. It is like looking back at a photo album. You are looking at a picture (the past action) and reacting to it right now. It connects the past to your current feelings.

1. 1Creating this tense is like following a recipe. Just follow these four steps:
2. 2Start with a trigger phrase. This is usually something like Je suis content que... (I am happy that...).
3. 3Choose the correct Subjunctive form of être. These are:
4. 4que je sois (that I am)
5. 5que tu sois (that you are)
6. 6qu'il/elle/on soit (that he/she/one is)
7. 7que nous soyons (that we are)
8. 8que vous soyez (that you are)
9. 9qu'ils/elles soient (that they are)
10. 10Add the Past Participle of your main verb. For example, allé (gone) or parti (left).
11. 11Apply the "Agreement Rule." Since we use être, the participle must match the subject. Add an e for girls and an s for groups. If it is a group of girls, add es. It is like matching your socks to your outfit!

You use this tense when you express a feeling, a doubt, or a necessity about a past event. Specifically, you use it for the "DR MRS VANDERTRAMP" verbs. These are verbs of movement like aller (to go), venir (to come), and partir (to leave). You also use it for all reflexive verbs, like se lever (to get up).

Scenario 1: You are at a party. Your friend arrived late. You say: "I'm happy you came!" In French, this is Je suis heureux que tu sois venu.

Scenario 2: You are at a job interview. The boss says: "I'm glad you arrived on time." This is Je suis ravi que vous soyez arrivé à l'heure.

Scenario 3: Talking about a trip. "It is a shame they left so early." C'est dommage qu'ils soient partis si tôt.

Do not use this tense if you are just stating a fact. If you want to say "He went to the store," just use the normal Passé Composé. The subjunctive is for feelings, not just facts. Also, do not use it if the subject of the sentence is the same person. For example, if I am happy that *I* went, I say Je suis content d'être allé. I don't use the subjunctive there. You only use it when Person A has a feeling about Person B's action. Finally, do not use être for verbs like manger (to eat) or regarder (to watch). Those verbs use avoir. Stick to the movement verbs and reflexive verbs for this specific être rule.

The most common mistake is forgetting the agreement. If you are talking about Marie, you must write allée with an extra e. If you forget the e, the grammar police won't arrest you, but it looks much better with it! Another mistake is using the wrong auxiliary. Some learners want to use avoir for everything. Remember: if it is a "Vandertramp" verb, you must use être. Also, watch the spelling of soit and soient. They sound exactly the same when you speak! But soient is only for ils or elles. It is a little spelling trap designed to keep you on your toes. Don't let it win!

Let's compare this to the Subjonctif Présent. The present version is for things happening now or in the future. For example: Je veux que tu viennes (I want you to come now). The past version is for things that already happened: Je suis content que tu sois venu (I'm happy you came yesterday).

Now, compare it to the standard Passé Composé.

Tu es parti is a simple fact: "You left."

Je regrette que tu sois parti adds emotion: "I regret that you left."

The Subjonctif Passé is like the Passé Composé but with a "moody" filter applied to it. It tells us how the speaker feels about the history.