DELF A2 grammar: talk about yesterday and tomorrow
Describe what happened, explain your next plan and avoid repeating a noun.
In short
8 words and phrases with examples, and a 3-question quiz.
On this page
What happened?
avoir + past participle
Use a present form of avoir, then the past form of the main verb.
More examples
Regular patterns: parler → parlé; finir → fini; vendre → vendu. Irregular forms need learning: faire → fait.
être + past participle
Some verbs use être. Learn the auxiliary with the verb.
More examples
With aller and arriver, the past participle agrees with the subject: elle est arrivée; ils sont arrivés.
ne + auxiliary + pas
Put the negative around avoir or être, not around the past participle.
More examples
Je n’ai pas réservé = I didn’t book. Keep réservé after pas.
What happens next?
aller + infinitive
Use a present form of aller to say what you are going to do.
More examples
Je vais, tu vas, il/elle/on va, nous allons, vous allez, ils/elles vont + infinitive.
hier / demain
Yesterday looks back; tomorrow looks ahead.
More examples
The time word supports the meaning. It does not choose the verb form for you.
Avoid repeating the noun
le / la / les
Replace a known direct object: it, him, her or them.
More examples
The pronoun comes before the conjugated verb here. Le/la become l’ before a vowel.
lui / leur
With verbs such as parler à and écrire à, replace the person you speak or write to.
More examples
Lui = to him or her; leur = to them. This is not the pattern for every verb with à.
pronoun + infinitive
In these two-verb patterns, put the object pronoun just before the infinitive it belongs to.
More examples
Je vais les acheter = I’m going to buy them.
Quick practice
Try it yourself
Choose an answer, then check it.
Complete the past sentence.
Now make it yours
Tell a friend about your trip.
- Say what you did yesterday.
- Say what you are going to do tomorrow.
- Replace one repeated noun with a pronoun.
See one possible answer
When is your exam?
Enter the date to see how many weeks you have. Save it and it stays in your account.
Use this in a lesson
- Read the examplesRead together, then hide the English for recall.
- Work in pairsOne learner tells a travel story. Their partner asks about the next day, then repeats one sentence using le, la or les.
- Check togetherCompare answers and discuss why they fit.