Time Expressions - Venir De (Recent Past)

This pattern describes actions that happened moments ago. It links the immediate past to your current moment. Think of it like a grammar time-machine. It only travels back a few minutes. You don't need complex endings here. You only need to know one verb: venir. Then you add a little connector. Finally, you name the action. It is much easier than the passé composé. You don't have to worry about 'house verbs' or agreements. It is a 'set it and forget it' structure. Use it when the ink is still wet on the page.

1. 1Building this sentence is like building a sandwich. You need three specific layers.
2. 2Start with your subject and conjugate venir in the present tense.
3. 3Add the preposition de. If the next word starts with a vowel, use d' instead.
4. 4Add the main action in its infinitive form (the 'to' version).
5. 5Formula: [Subject] + [venir] + [de] + [infinitive].
6. 6For example: Je viens de manger. (I just ate).
7. 7Here is a quick refresher for venir:
8. 8Je viens (I come)
9. 9Tu viens (You come)
10. 10Il/Elle/On vient (He/She/One comes)
11. 11Nous venons (We come)
12. 12Vous venez (You all come)
13. 13Ils/Elles viennent (They come)

Use this when the action is still fresh in your mind. If you just hung up the phone, use it. Je viens de raccrocher. If you just finished an interview, tell your friend: Je viens de finir l'entretien. It is perfect for ordering food too. If the waiter asks if you want dessert, you might say: Non merci, je viens de manger une énorme pizza. It works for sports too. 'The game just started' becomes Le match vient de commencer. It creates a sense of urgency or immediate context. It tells the listener that the result of the action is still relevant right now.

Do not use this for things that happened yesterday. Even if it feels 'recent' to you, French is strict. If you can attach a specific long-term date to it, skip venir de. Don't say Je viens de naître en 1995. That would mean you were born about two minutes ago. Which would make you a very talented baby. Also, avoid it for habits. If you 'just' do something every day, use the present tense. This is for one-time events that just crossed the finish line. If the event happened more than a few hours ago, the passé composé is usually a safer bet.

First, don't forget the de. It is the glue of the sentence. Without it, you are just saying 'I come to eat,' which sounds like you are traveling for food. Second, do not conjugate the second verb. Many people say Je viens de mangé. That is a big no-no. Keep that second verb in its original, 'raw' form. Third, watch out for reflexive verbs. In Je viens de me lever, the me still has to match the Je. People often forget to change the pronoun. They say Je viens de se lever. That sounds like you just got someone else out of bed. Finally, watch the vowel clash. De hates sitting next to arriver. Always use d'arriver.

The passé composé is for completed actions. The passé récent is for *just* completed actions. Think of it like a traffic light. Passé composé is the red light (it's done). Passé récent is the light that just turned red. You can still see the glow. Another contrast is with venir + infinitive (without de). Without the de, it means 'to come to do something.' Je viens manger means 'I am coming here to eat.' Adding that one tiny de flips the meaning to the past. It is a tiny word with a massive job. Don't let it down!