Passer chez qn: avoir ou etre?

Dina K.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Passer chez qn: avoir ou etre?

Hi!

I'm confused with the meaning "I pass by sth/sb", would you pls help to clarify?

in the examples to the lesson "Passer with etre and avoir... change meanings"  Passer can be used with avoir or être in compound tenses depending on its meaning in French (Le Passé Composé) the sentence Elle est passée chez Laurent hier is certainly used with "etre", while in the example to the current lesson the example with the same meaning as I can understand from translation implies "avoir": Je passe devant chez toi tous les matins.

What is the difference? Is there any particualar nuance?

Thanks!

Asked 6 years ago
CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi Dina,

In the examples you give the verb passer has two different meanings:

Je suis passé(e) d'abord chez elle avant de... = I dropped by her house before ... and it will use être in the perfect tense.

Je suis passé(e) devant chez toi ce matin= I went by your house this morning, will use être too.

The first verb implies a quick visit, to drop by/ to pop in.

The second is to pass by in a physical sense.

Passer quelque chose à quelqu'un to pass something to someone

will take avoir as will passer when it means to spend time .

Je lui ai passé le sel = I gave him the salt.

Nous avons passé de bons moments ensemble = We spent/had some good time together

Hope this helps!

Dina K.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Thanks, this helps!

Passer chez qn: avoir ou etre?

Hi!

I'm confused with the meaning "I pass by sth/sb", would you pls help to clarify?

in the examples to the lesson "Passer with etre and avoir... change meanings"  Passer can be used with avoir or être in compound tenses depending on its meaning in French (Le Passé Composé) the sentence Elle est passée chez Laurent hier is certainly used with "etre", while in the example to the current lesson the example with the same meaning as I can understand from translation implies "avoir": Je passe devant chez toi tous les matins.

What is the difference? Is there any particualar nuance?

Thanks!

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