The French language uses different tenses to express when an action occurred. The passé composé, like its English counterpart, the past tense, signifies that an action was completed in the past. In French, the passé composé is formed by combining an auxiliary verb, either "avoir" (to have) ...
The Verb "Faire" and its Past Participle
"Faire" is a regular verb in French, meaning its past participle follows a predictable pattern. The past participle of "faire" is "fait." This past participle can be combined with either "avoir" or "être," depending on the context.
Using "Avoir" with "Faire"
In most cases, the auxiliary verb "avoir" is used with the past participle "fait" to form the passé composé of "faire." This structure is used when "faire" is used as a transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object. Here are some examples:
J'ai fait mes devoirs. (I did my homework.)
Tu as fait la vaisselle. (You did the dishes.)
Il a fait un gâteau. (He made a cake.)
Using "Être" with "Faire"
Although less common, there are instances when "être" is used with "faire." This occurs when "faire" is used in an intransitive sense, where it does not take a direct object. Here are a few examples:
Je suis fait pour être médecin. (I am made to be a doctor.)
Tu es fait pour le sport. (You are made for sports.)
The Sentence: "La semaine dernière, tu du vélo."
The sentence provided is "La semaine dernière, tu du vélo." (Last week, you ____ bike.) The verb "faire" is implied in this sentence, as "faire du vélo" means "to ride a bike." Since "faire" in this case is used transitively (we are doing the action of riding a bike), we will use "avoir" as the auxiliary verb.
The Correct Answer
Therefore, the correct answer for the blank is "as fait." The complete sentence is: "La semaine dernière, tu as fait du vélo." (Last week, you rode a bike.)
Further Examples of "Faire" in the Passé Composé
Here are more examples of the verb "faire" in the passé composé, demonstrating its versatility and the use of both "avoir" and "être":
J'ai fait un voyage en France. (I took a trip to France.)
Tu as fait la cuisine. (You cooked.)
Il a fait un bruit étrange. (He made a strange noise.)
Nous avons fait un bon film. (We made a good movie.)
Vous avez fait vos valises. (You packed your bags.)
Ils ont fait la fête. (They partied.)
These examples showcase how "faire" can express a range of actions in the past, and how its past tense construction depends on its usage in the sentence.