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Lesson 35 – The indicative passé simple in French

Geethan

  1. theory
    how to form the indicative passé composé
    use
  2. exercises 🔥
  3. comments

Theory

a) how to form it

group 1

–ER verb

group 2

–IR verb

group 3

–RE verb
 mourir : -us
venir : -ins

je

tu

il/elle/on

nous

vous

ils/elles

parl-ai

parl-as

parl-a

parl-âmes

parl-âtes

parl-èrent

fin-is

fin-is

fin-it

fin-îmes

fin-îtes

fin-irent

vend-is

vend-is

vend-it

vend-îmes

vend-îtes

vend-irent


reminder : the auxiliary verbs are irregular

avoir

être

j’eus

tu eus

il/elle/on eut

nous eûmes

vous eûtes

ils/elles eurent

je fus

tu fus

il/elle/on fut

nous fûment

vous fûtes

ils/elles furent

b) use

1. actions that took place in the past once:

Je découvris les îles du Vanuatu en 1996
I discovered the Vanuatu Islands in 1996

2. consecutive actions taking place in the past :

Nous descendîmes du train, mangeâmes des huîtres et nous précipitâmes à l’hôtel  
We got off the train, ate oysters and rushed to the hotel

3. an action interrupting another one :

Alors qu’Isabelle insérait la clé dans la serrure, je jetai un oeil à la montre en diamant de la dame à sa droite
As Isabelle inserted the key into the lock, I glanced at the diamond watch of the lady to her right

Exercises

Results

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#1. "Il finit" can either be "indicatif présent" or "indicatif passé simple"

#2. I went there many times

#3. We talked, and talked, and you laughed, and laughed

#4. And as we stood up to say goodbye, flying saucers fell down from the sky

#5. An electric meltdown followed as I tried to snap a picture

Terminer

 

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