French Phrase
Tu l'as vue quand?
Meaning
This phrase is a common way to ask about the timing of a past event involving a feminine person or object. It uses the passé composé tense and features the direct object pronoun 'l'' representing 'la'. The past participle 'vue' includes an 'e' to agree with the preceding feminine direct object.
When to use
Use this in casual conversations when you want to know when someone last saw a specific woman, girl, or feminine noun. It is typical of spoken French where the question word 'quand' is placed at the end of the sentence.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tul'asvuequand
Direct Object Pronoun
The 'l'' is a contraction of 'la', representing a feminine person or thing mentioned previously.
Past Participle Agreement
When a direct object precedes 'avoir' in the past tense, the participle must agree with it, hence the extra 'e' in 'vue'.
🗨In Conversation
Marie était au café ce matin.
Marie was at the cafe this morning.
Ah bon? Tu l'as vue quand?
Oh really? When did you see her?
✕Common Mistakes
Tu as vu quand elle?
Direct object pronouns must come before the auxiliary verb, and 'elle' cannot be used as a direct object in this position.
Tu l'as vu quand?
In French, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the preceding direct object; since 'l'' represents a feminine noun here, 'vue' is required.
↔Alternatives
Quand est-ce que tu l'as vue?
When did you see her?
Quand l'as-tu vue?
When saw you her? (Formal)
Cultural Tip
In modern spoken French, it is very common to leave the question word at the end of the sentence rather than using 'est-ce que' or inversion. While the 'e' in 'vue' is silent, mastering this agreement is a hallmark of a high-level learner and is essential for written French.