Passé récent · venir de + verb
venir (in the present) + de + the dictionary form of the verb = "have just done": Je viens de manger.
Examples
- Je viens de manger.I have just eaten.
- Le train vient de partir.The train has just left.
How it works
To say something has JUST happened, French uses venir ("to come") in the present + de + the second verb in its dictionary form (the infinitive, like manger "to eat"):
Je viens de manger.I have just eaten.
Elle vient d'arriver.She has just arrived.
The forms of venir
learn these, the rest never changes:
je viensnous venons
tu viensvous venez
il/elle vientils/elles viennent
de becomes d' before a vowel: Il vient d'acheter une voiture.
Don't mix it up with aller
venir de + verb = it just happened (past)
Je viens de partir.I've just left.
aller + verb = it's going to happen (future)
Je vais partir.I'm going to leave.
venir de + a place = to come from somewhere (no verb, not this pattern)
Il vient de Lyon.He comes from Lyon.
Negative
ne…pas wraps venir:
Je ne viens pas de manger.I haven't just eaten.
Common mistakes
Je viens de mangéJe viens de manger
dictionary form after de
Je viens mangerJe viens de manger
without de it means "I'm coming to eat"
J'ai juste mangé is understood, but je viens de manger is what people say.
What you'll practise
1. venir + de + verb
venir in the present (viens, vient, venons…) + de + the dictionary form: Je viens de manger.
- Nous venons de finir.We have just finished.
- Ils viennent de partir.They have just left.
2. d' before a vowel
de becomes d' before a vowel or a silent h: Elle vient d'arriver.
- Elle vient d'arriver.She has just arrived.
3. Just done vs. going to do
venir de + verb = it just happened; aller + verb = it's going to happen.
- Je viens de partir.I've just left.
- Je vais partir.I'm going to leave.
Practise it until it sticks
Short drills built on these 3 skills, with instant feedback on every answer. Free to start.