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je-- viens
tu-- viens
il/elle-- vient
nous-- venons
vous-- venez
ils/elles-- viennent
past participle-- venu
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Venir takes the auxiliary être in the passé composé.
- Ils sont venus vendredi dernier.
- -- They came last Friday.
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Venir can be used with de and an infinitive to say that something has just happened. This is called the passé récent.
- Je viens de prendre mon goûter dans ma chambre.
- -- I just had a snack in my room.
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Venir can be used with an infinitive to say that someone has come to do something.
- Papa est venu me chercher.
- -- Dad came to pick me up.
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The verbs devenir (to become) and revenir (to come back) are conjugated like venir. They, too, take être in the passé composé.
- Estelle et sa copine sont devenues médecins.
- -- Estelle and her friend became doctors.
- Il est revenu avec une tarte aux fraises.
- -- He came back with a strawberry tart.
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The verbs tenir (to hold), maintenir (to maintain), and retenir (to keep, to retain) are also conjugated like venir. They take avoir in the passé composé.
- Corinne tient le livre de cuisine.
- -- Corinne is holding the cookbook.
- On a retenu mon passeport à la douane.
- -- They kept my passport at customs.
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A command form of tenir is often used when handing something to someone.
- Tiens, une belle orange pour toi.
- -- Here, a nice orange for you.
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To say something happened at a time ago in the past, use [il y a + a time ago].
- Il y a une heure, on était à la cuisine.
- -- An hour ago, we were at the cafeteria.
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To say that something happened for a particular period of time that has ended, us [pendant + time period]. Often the verb will be used in the passé composé.
- Salim a fait la vaisselle pendant deux heures.
- -- Salim washed his dished for two hours.
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To say that something has been going on since a particular time and continues into the present, use [depuis + time period, date, or starting point]. Usually in the present tense.
- Elle danse depuis son arrivée à la fête.
- -- She has been dancing since she arrived at the party.
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retenir
to keep, to retain
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