Transcript Le Passé Simple

Le Passé Simple
LE PASSÉ SIMPLE IS A REPLACEMENT FOR
THE PASSÉ COMPOSÉ IN LITERATURE.
MEMORIZING THE REGULAR ENDINGS AND
THE FIRST PERSON SINGULAR “JE” FORM OF
THE IRREGULAR VERBS IS NECESSARY. YOU
WILL NEVER SPEAK IN THIS TENSE.
RECOGNIZING THE FORMS IS THE GOAL.
Drop the infinitive ending and add the passé
simple endings as follows.
-er verbs
parler
-ir/-re verbs finir/perdre
 je parlai
 je finis
 tu parlas
 il/elle/on finit
 il/elle/on parla
 tu finis
 nous finîmes
 vous finîtes
 nous parlâmes
 ils/elles finirent
 vous parlâtes
 je perdis
 ils/elles parlèrent
 il/elle/on perdit
 tu pterdis
 nous perdîmes
 vous perdîtes
 ils/elles perdirent
Irregular verbs tend to use the past participle plus the passé simple endings, but some are
different. You have to memorize the “je” form of each one just for recognition.
 avoir: j’eus
 être: je fus
 faire: je fis
 venir: je vins
 dire: je dis
 naître: je naquis
 vivre: je vécus
 mourir: je mourus
The endings are:
je
-s
tu
-s
il
-t
nous -^mes
vous -^tes
ils
-rent
Relative pronouns with ce
 Ce qui and ce que are relative pronouns that mean
what (or that which) and are used to refer to a
general idea or to something that hasn’t been
mentioned. For example, in the sentence “I don’t
understand what he means,” what doesn’t refer to
anything specifically mentioned.
Relative pronouns with ce
 Ce qui is a subject and is usually followed by a verb.
Ce qui est incroyable, c’est la fin de la fable.
 What’s incredible is the end of the fable.
 Ce que/qu’ is an object and is usually followed by a subject and a
verb.
 Le génie a accordé au prince ce qu’il voulait.
 The genie granted the prince what he wanted.
 Ce dont also means what. It replaces a phrase that follows an
expression with de.
 Elle parlait de quelquechose. Il ne savait pas ce dont elle parlait.
 She talked about something. He did not know what she was
talking about.

Adjective meaning and placement
Meaning before a noun
Meaning after a noun
 ancien
 ancien
 vrai
 certain
 cher
 dernier
 pauvre
 propre
 sale
 seul
former
real
certain (some)
dear
last
poor (unfortunate)
own
nasty
only
 vrai
 certain
 cher
 dernier
 pauvre
 propre
 sale
 seul
ancient (old)
true
sure
expensive
previous
poor (destitute)
clean
dirty
lonely