In a sentence like "La tarte que j'ai faite", why does the past participle match the gender of the preceding subject noun?

In French sentences, when the past participle comes after the subject noun, it always matches the gender and the number of the subject noun.

For example, in "Les rendez-vous qu'on a oubliés", the past participle "oublié" takes an "s" because "les rendez-vous" is in plural, and the past participle needs to match it. Similarly, in the sentences "Les photos que nous avouns prises" and "Les filles que vous avez rencontrées", both the feminine gender and the plural number need to appear at the end of the past participles because of the preceding subject nouns.

BB
Answered by Benedek B. French tutor

2431 Views

See similar French A Level tutors

Related French A Level answers

All answers ▸

When do you need to agree the past participle when using the passé composé?


What is the subjunctive?


Analysez les facteurs qui peuvent provoquer des disputes et des tensions entre les parents et leurs adolescents. Proposez des solutions qu'ils peuvent adopter pour une meilleure entente au sein de la famille.


How do I form the passive?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning