j'ai vécu
j'ai vécu is the French way to say "I have lived".
This phrase is used to describe the experience of living or existing over a period of time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of je (I), ai (have) and vécu (lived, which is the past participle of vivre). Note that je becomes j' when placed before a vowel.
Which one should you use?
While English uses the present perfect ("I have lived") to describe an action that started in the past and continues to the present, French uses the passé composé j'ai vécu to describe a completed period of time or a specific experience.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle vécu is invariable in gender and number when used with the auxiliary avoir in this context.
Did you know?
- If you were to describe your life experiences in a poetic way, you might find that vécu behaves like a heavy noun, as in 'le vécu', which means 'one's life experience' or 'background'.
- The word vécu is related to the English word 'vivacious', as both come from the Latin root for living.
- In French, vécu can be used as an adjective to describe a 'lived' experience, such as un témoignage vécu, meaning a firsthand account.
Examples in context
- J'ai vécu une vie difficile.I have lived a hard life.This sentence is useful for describing the quality of a life using j'ai vécu.Tatoeba #5924901 by Kaelink, translation #11030105 by carlosalberto
- J'ai vécu ici pendant longtemps.I have lived here for a long time.This sentence is useful for describing a duration of residence using j'ai vécu.Tatoeba #127504 by Julien_PDC, translation #259510 by CK
- J'ai vécu ici pendant trente ans.I have lived here for thirty years.This sentence is useful for specifying a precise number of years of residence using j'ai vécu.Tatoeba #7501 by sacredceltic, translation #252545 by CC
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are talking about their past experiences during a coffee break.
- EmmaJ'ai vécu des moments incroyables en voyage.I have lived through incredible moments while traveling.
- HugoC'est vrai, tu as beaucoup voyagé.It's true, you have traveled a lot.
- EmmaOui, j'ai vécu mille vies grâce à ça.Yes, I have lived a thousand lives thanks to that.
- HugoTu es une personne très inspirante, Emma.You are a very inspiring person, Emma.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
