a été
The English phrase 'has been' is translated into French as a été.
In French, a été is used to describe a state or an action that occurred in the past. It functions as the present perfect form of the verb 'to be'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase a été is the passé composé of the verb être (to be). While a été is used for singular subjects, you must use ont été for 'have been' to agree with a plural subject.
Did you know?
- The word été in a été is a homonym for the French word for 'summer'. This means a sentence could technically refer to both a state of being and a season.
- The past participle été actually comes from a verb that meant 'to stand' rather than 'to be'. Over time, the meaning shifted from a physical position to a state of existence.
- In some written Quebecois dialects, the single letter a is used as a phonetic spelling for elle, which means 'she'. This could lead a reader to mistake 'she has been' for a completely different grammatical structure.
Examples in context
- Tom a été viré.Tom has been fired.This sentence demonstrates the use of a été to indicate someone has been fired.Tatoeba #6463340 by Aiji, translation #1177513 by CK
- Il a été occupé.He has been busy.This sentence shows how a été describes a state of being busy.Tatoeba #130949 by nimfeo, translation #290296 by CK
- Tout a été prévu.Everything has been arranged.This sentence illustrates how a été can be used to say something has been arranged.Tatoeba #1910676 by sacredceltic, translation #1908941 by Spamster
- Elle a été absente toute la journéeShe has been absent all day.
- Il était fatigué parce qu'il avait été très occupéHe was tired because he had been very busy.
- Elles ont étéThey have been
- Mon frère a été en voyage d'affairesMy brother has been on a business trip.
- 310 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are talking about a movie they just watched.
- EmmaLe film a été très long, n'est-ce pas ?The movie has been very long, hasn't it?
- HugoOui, mais c'était passionnant.Yes, but it was exciting.
- EmmaLe jeu d'acteur a été incroyable.The acting has been incredible.
- HugoJe suis d'accord avec toi, Emma.I agree with you, Emma.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, été, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
