DR MRS VANDERTRAMP Flashcards

DR MRS VANDERTRAMP Overview

• DR MRS VANDERTRAMP is an acronym used in French grammar to help remember certain verbs that use "être" as the auxiliary verb in the passé composé tense.

Verb Definitions

• descendre: Means "to go down." Indicates a movement to a lower position.
• rester: Translates to "to stay," indicating remaining in a place without moving.
• monter: Can mean "to come back" or "to climb," depending on context, emphasizing vertical movement.
• mourir: Means "to die," referring to the end of life.
• sortir: Translates as "to go out," indicating leaving a place, often for social or recreational purposes.
• venir: Means "to come," referring to movement toward the speaker's location.
• arriver: Means "to arrive," signifying reaching a destination.
• naître: Translates to "to be born," the moment of entering life.
• devenir: Means "to become," indicating a change in status or condition.
• entrer: Translates as "to enter," focusing on moving into a place.
• retourner: Means "to return," indicating coming back to a previous location.
• tomber: Translates as "to fall," involving a downward movement due to gravity.
• revenir: Means "to come back" with an added emphasis on returning to a specific point.
• aller: Translates as "to go," a general term for moving from one place to another.
• monter: As previously noted, also means "to climb," emphasizing an ascent.
• partir: Means "to leave," indicating departing from a location.
• passer: Translates as "to pass by," indicating movement past a point without stopping.

Usage Note

• Learning these verbs helps in constructing sentences in the passé composé, identifying when to use "être" as the auxiliary verb.

Test your knowledge of the French verbs in the DR MRS VANDERTRAMP mnemonic. These verbs are essential for understanding movement and changing states in the French language. Each flashcard provides a verb along with its English definition for better understanding.