Breakdown of Le complice a fui après avoir organisé le cambriolage.
avoir
to have
organiser
to organize
après
after
le complice
the accomplice
fuir
to flee
le cambriolage
the burglary
Questions & Answers about Le complice a fui après avoir organisé le cambriolage.
Why is it "après avoir organisé" instead of using a French "-ant" verb like in the English "after organizing"?
In English, we often use "after" + an "-ing" verb (a gerund). But in French, the preposition après must be followed by the past infinitive. You form this by using the infinitive of the helper verb (avoir or être) plus the past participle. So, "after organizing" translates literally to "after to have organized" (après avoir organisé).
Could I use this "après avoir..." structure if the accomplice fled after someone else organized the burglary?
No, you can only use the après + past infinitive structure when the subject of both actions is the exact same person. Because the accomplice is the one who fled and the one who organized the burglary, this structure works perfectly here.
The word "fui" looks unusual. What verb is this?
It is the past participle of the irregular verb fuir (to flee or to run away). In the passé composé, it uses the auxiliary avoir, making it a fui (fled).
Learn Le complice a fui après avoir organisé le cambriolage and more in French
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free