VENIR DE: to have just (done something) in French

Ever wondered how to say you’ve just done something - in French - and got all wrapped up in working out the verb formation?

Thankfully, for once, the French is much easier than the English. So long as you master the conjugation of the French verb “venir”, the rest is quite easy peasy.

Let's dive straight in:

How do you say “to have just” in French?

Like I have just said it (comme je viens de le dire), expressing something you have just done is rather simple. Why?

Because:

• there’s just one formula
• there’s no past tense faff
  

How to express the recent past:

Like you have just learnt (comme tu viens de l’apprendre), the formula is unique.

It follows this pattern:

• subject + venir de + infinitive

The French verb “venir de” is compulsory. However, the rest with the infinitive can be anything you want…

Let’s look at some examples:

• Je viens de faire une belle promenade avec les chiens >>> I have just done a lovely walk with the dogs.

The conjugation of VENIR with the infinitive.

Like you have just read (comme tu viens de lire), your main job is to conjugate the irregular French verb of “venir”.

It goes like this:

• je viens de
• tu viens de
• il / elle / on vient de
• nous venons de
• vous venez de
• ils / elles viennent de

Don’t forget that the preposition “de” becomes “d’” if the infinitive that follows starts with a vowel or h.

As a reminder, an infinitive is the original (or dictionary) form of your verb: the unchanged version. 

Let’s have a look at some common infinitives: 

• boire >>> to drink
• manger >>> to eat
• voir >>> to see
• faire >>> to do
• prendre >>> to take
• finir >>> to finish
• travailler >>> to work
• dire >>> to say
• avoir >>> to have
• être >>> to be
• aimer >>> to like
• écrire >>> to write
• habiter >>> to live
• aller >>> to go

The recent past in French using the present tense.

So, you have just seen the list of infinitives with the conjugation of “venir”  ( tu viens de voir la liste ) and you may expect some real examples. Here are some for you:

• Je viens de manger >>> I have just eaten.
• Je viens de prendre un autre café >>> I have just had another coffee.

• Je viens de regarder un bon film >>> I have just watched a good film.

In French we use the infinitive, while in English, the past perfect is required. So it's easier in French. 

Expressing the recent past in daily conversations.

Do you know how to remember and apply this lesson? The secret is to practise as much as you can. Another tip is to customise with your own examples. Your examples will stick more than mine. 

Here are every day examples you could be inspired by:

• Je viens de réveiller >>> I have just woken up.
• Je viens de regarder mon téléphone >>> I have just looked at my phone.

• Je viens de lire mes messages >>> I have just read my messages.

So how do you say "I HAD just"?

You have just seen for the present (tu viens de voir pour le présent ), and now we can see the option for the past. The formula is ever so slightly different:

• subject + venir de (imperfect) + infinitive

The only change for you is to conjugate “venir de “ using the imperfect tense.

An illustration of it:

• Je venais de faire une belle promenade avec les chiens quand il a commencé à pleuvoir >>> I had just done a lovely walk with the dogs when it started to rain.

How to conjugate “venir de” with the imperfect.

Since you have just discovered the past version (comme tu viens de découvrir la version au passé), let’s learn or review the imperfect of the French verb of “venir”:

• je venais de
• tu venais de
• il / elle / on venait de
• nous venions de
• vous veniez de
• ils / elles venaient de

The rest is exactly the same with your infinitives. Therefore, simply memorise the conjugation of “venir” and voilà!

You have just learnt . . . (tu viens d’apprendre):

• how to express a recent action with the present (subject + venir de + infinitive)
• how to express a recent action with the past (subject + venir de (imperfect) + infinitive)
• how to conjugate the verb “venir de “
• how to identify infinitives 

Si tu viens d’avoir des questions ou doutes (if you’ve just had questions or doubt), feel free to reach out. I love getting your questions.