Simple Past TenseTemp Passé Simple

Categories: Grammar, Advanced

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Introduction

Also known as the preterite, the French simple past tense describes actions that took place in the past and were completed in the past.

It is rarely used today except in writing and formal contexts.

The more common past tenses used in spoken French are the imperfect and compound past.

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Conjugation Examples

oublier to forget; to neglect
je oubliai
tu oublias
il / elle oublia
nous oubliâmes
vous oubliâtes
ils / elles oublièrent
vouloir to want; to will
je voulus
tu voulus
il / elle voulut
nous voulûmes
vous voulûtes
ils / elles voulurent
plaindre to pity; to complain; to moan
je plaignis
tu plaignis
il / elle plaignit
nous plaignîmes
vous plaignîtes
ils / elles plaignirent
être to be (temporal)
je fus
tu fus
il / elle fut
nous fûmes
vous fûtes
ils / elles furent

Additional Reading:
• Personal Subject Pronouns
• Verb Conjugations

Language: es | pt | en
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