Help with monter! by NINAV 28. Feb 2011
Today's message "Il a monte les escaliers au courant" - he ran up the stairs, has confused me. I learned that monter is one of the verbs that takes etre as the auxilliary. If you use avoir it changes the meaning of the main verb, eg "il est monte les escaliers" = he went up the stairs, but "Il a monte les escaliers" = he brought up the stairs or he took up the stairs?
Can someone clarify this for me please? | fawzya 20. Apr 2011
In this cas he means<<<<<he use the stairs.
When you use avoire as the auxilliary,but with etre as the auxilliary, it means that he went up the stairs
I hope that I helpe you. | NINAV 21. Apr 2011
I think that I understand better now, thank you. It's very difficult to know what to say as there is so much to remember! | rysiek_n 12. May 2011
All verbs conjugated with "etre" ( no accents available - sorry) are intransitive and cannot be used transitively. "Descendre", "monter" and "rentrer" are 3 examples of "etre"-conjugated verbs ( so no accents available )but which change their meaning when used with "avoir" + a direct object ( ie transitive use). Thus:
Il est descendu BUT il a descendu la rue
il a descendu ses valises (brought down)
Similarly: Il a monte ( sorry - no accents available) sa valise
(took up)
il a rentre son velo ( sorry again - no accents available)
put it back (eg into the garage)
Please note that "etre-conjugated verbs, being intransitive, cannot be used in the passive voice |
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