the perfect tense, le passé composé, expresses completed actions in the past. It is composed of -the auxiliary verb (avoir ou être) conjugated in the present tense - followed by the past participle of the verb conjugated in the perfect tense e.g. Le garçon a perdu son portable. The auxiliary verb is être for verbs of movement and for reflexive verbs; otherwise it is avoir. e.g. Le train est parti à l'heure : PARTIR is a verb of movement, the auxiliary is être Tu t'es réveillé en retard ce matin! : SE REVEILLER is a reflexive verb, the auxiliary is être Le chien a mangé le repas de son maître : MANGER is not a verb of movement or a reflexive verb - it takes avoir