Past tense passive voice for “être”

Question

What happens if you are in the past tense and using the verb "être"?

I'm new to this so I'm not even sure if this sentence would make sense.

Cette ville n'a pas été été célèbre avant que les explorateurs anglais l'ont trouvée.

"été été" looks wrong. Is it correct?

Stéphane Gimenez · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-10 10:08:26Z

2

Être has no passive form… in French as well as in English. “To be been (by something)” doesn't make sense.

answered Feb 10, 2014 at 10:08

Stéphane Gimenez

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And what about avoire, please?
– Abhimanyu Arora
Commented Feb 10, 2014 at 18:13
'This cake is to be had by someone who has mastered French'
– Abhimanyu Arora
Commented Feb 10, 2014 at 18:38
Ah, indeed, for a couple of different meanings it's possible in English, but these meanings do not fall under the scope of the French's avoir.
– Stéphane Gimenez
Commented Feb 10, 2014 at 18:50
Okay, so you can have the cake now :-D
– Abhimanyu Arora
Commented Feb 10, 2014 at 18:52

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