"Pour rester en forme physique passée la soixantaine"

Jim L.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

"Pour rester en forme physique passée la soixantaine"

I put "passé" rather than "passée" - usually a straightforward mistake - but on this occasion, I'm thinking and thinking, but I can't see what it is that "passée" is agreeing with. La soixantaine? Or Forme physique? And if so, why ?

Asked 1 year ago
Alan G.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

I think it's agreeing with la soixantaine. Whether that's correct, however, is another question.

https://www.dictionnaire-academie.fr/article/A9P0853

IV. Emploi particulier du participe passé.

Avec une valeur spatiale aussi bien que temporelle, Passé s’emploie comme forme verbale d’une proposition participiale. Aussitôt le train passé, il traversa les voies. La porte passée, il découvrit une vaste pièce. Sa semaine de vacances passée, il retrouva Paris. Passée la mauvaise saison, nous reprendrons nos promenades. Cependant, lorsque le participe est placé avant le sujet, il est le plus souvent traité comme une préposition et reste invariable. Passé les délais, toute demande sera rejetée.

Still it does just say "le plus souvent", and "passé la soixantaine" and "passée la soixantaine" seem equally common, if you google them. Probably both should be marked correct here.

Tom A.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

To me, passé in this context is a preposition synonymous with après and I would expect it to be invariable.

"Pour rester en forme physique passée la soixantaine"

I put "passé" rather than "passée" - usually a straightforward mistake - but on this occasion, I'm thinking and thinking, but I can't see what it is that "passée" is agreeing with. La soixantaine? Or Forme physique? And if so, why ?

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