Languages › French The French Past Tense, or Passé Simple Share Flipboard Email Print ThoughtCo / Claire Cohen French Grammar Pronunciation & Conversation Vocabulary Resources For Teachers by ThoughtCo Updated October 06, 2019 The passé simple, translated in English as either "simple past" or "preterite," is the literary equivalent of the passé composé, which means that it is used only in formal writing (like historical and literary writing) and very formal speech. In such writing and speech, the passé simple is used alongside the imperfect, just as in everyday speech/writing, the passé composé and imperfect are used together. You will probably never need to actually use the passé simple, but it is important to recognize it, especially if you read in French a lot (fiction or nonfiction). Fortunately, the passé simple is very easy to recognize. If a verb looks "weird" to you, chances are it's the passé simple.How to Conjugate the Passé SimpleThe"passé simple of regular verbs is formed by dropping the infinitive ending and adding the passé simple endings.Notes:-ER verbs take the first set of endings-IR and -RE take the second set of endingsSpelling change verbs, like manger and lancer, have their spelling change in most forms of the passé simple.Irregular verbs at the bottom have irregular stems in the passé simple, but take the same endings as regular -IR/-RE verbs.ER endingsparler: parl-manger: mang-lancer: lanc-je-aiparlaimangeailançaitu-asparlasmangeaslançasil-aparlamangealançanous-âmesparlâmesmangeâmeslançâmesvous-âtesparlâtesmangeâteslançâtesils-èrentparlèrentmangèrentlancèrent IR/RE endingsfinir: fin-rendre: rend-voir: v-je-isfinisrendisvistu-isfinisrendisvisil-itfinitrenditvitnous-îmesfinîmesrendîmesvîmesvous-îtesfinîtesrendîtesvîtesils-irentfinirentrendirentvirentIrregular verbss'asseoirs'ass-mettrem-conduireconduis-naîtrenaqu-dired-peindrepeign-écrireécriv-prendrepr-fairef-rirer-joindrejoign-voirv- Conjugate Irregular Verbs in the Passé SimpleMost irregular verbs with a past participle that ends in -u use that past participle as the passé simple stem. These verbs and their stems are:avoir: eu-boire: bu-connaître: connu-courir: couru-croire: cru-devoir: du-falloir: fallu-lire: lu-pleuvoir: plu-pouvoir: pu-recevoir: reçu-savoir: su-valoir: valu-vivre: vécu-vouloir: voulu-Three verbs have irregular stems, but take the same endings as the above verbs:être: fu-mourir: mouru-venir: vin-The passé simple endings for irregular verbs are as follows:je: -stu: -sil: -tnous: -^mesvous: -^tesils: -rentHere are a few irregular French verbs conjugated into the passé simple:avoir: eu-j'eustu eusil eutnous eûmesvous eûtesils eurentêtre: f-je fustu fusil futnous fûmesvous fûtesils furentmourir: mouru-je mourustu mourusil mourutnous mourûmesvous mourûtesils moururentvenir: vin-je vinstu vinsil vintnous vînmesvous vîntesils vinrent Continue Reading