Understanding the passé simple de l'indicatif: Formation and implementation

Le passé simple de l'indicatif or the future simple is used to express an intention to do something (a project) in the future but also to express the imagination (a supposition). Our simple and clear explanations accompanied by many examples will allow you to master the use and the rules of formation of the future simple of the indicative.


Usage of Le passé simple de l'indicatif

The simple future tense of the indicative is used to express a future fact/action , which has not yet taken place when we are speaking.

Formation of passé simple de l'indicatif in French

To form the simple past of the indicative, you must memorize the endings of the conjugated verbs. These vary according to the group to which the verb belongs.

Personal pronouns1st group2nd group
je/j'

-ai

voyageai-is

atterris

tu-asvoyageas-isatterris
il/elle/on-avoyagea-itatterit
nous-âmesvoyageâmes-îmesatterrîmes
vous-âtesvoyageâtes-îtesatterrîtes
ils/elles-èrentvoyagèrent-irentatterrirent

Verbs in the third group have three ending patterns :

3rd group1st model2nd model3rd model
je/j'-iscompris-uscourus-insvins
tu-iscompris-uscourus-insvins
il/elle/on-itcomprit-utcourut-intvint
nous-îmescomprîmes-ûmescourûmes-înmesvînmes
vous-îtescomprîtes-ûtescourûtes-întesvîntes
ils/elles-irentcomprirent-urentcoururent-inrentvinrent

NB : The past participle of a verb can help you conjugate it in the simple past of the indicative. Attention ! It doesn't always work.

Example: See -> past participle: saw -> I saw, you saw, he/she saw, we saw, you saw, they saw.

The auxiliaries to be and to have are part of the verbs of the third group, but they have a particular conjugation which must be mastered since they make it possible to construct the past tense of the indicative of all the other verbs.

êtreavoir
je/j'fuseus
tufuseus
il/elle/onfuteut
nousfûmeseûmes
vousfûteseûtes
ils/ellesfurenteurent

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