French Literary Past Tense

Drop the –er, add the following endings: ai as a âmes âtes èrent

EX: regarder – I watched:Je regardai

Normally, the verb « aller » is irregular, but in the passé simple, it is regular! ZUT!

allai allas alla allâmes allâtes allèrent

Drop –ir or –re from verbs, add the following endings: is is it îmes îtes irent

EX: We blush

Nous rougîmes

AVOIR ETREJ’eus je fusTu eus tu fusil/elle/on eut il/elle/on futNous eûmes Nous fûmesVous eûtes Vous fûtesIls/Elles eurent Ils/Elles

furent

*Remember endings: us, us, ut, ûmes, ûtes, urent; avoir’s first letter is E, etre’s is F.

FAIRE DIREje fis je dis

tu fis tu disil/elle/on fit il/elle/on ditnous fîmes nous dîmesvous fîtes vous dîtesils/elles firent ils/elles dirent

*Remember endings: is, is, it, îmes, îtes, irent; faire’s first letter is F, dire’s is D.** FAIRE vs. ÊTRE (FIS VS. FUS- faire has an I in it!)

je vins tu vins il/elle/on vint nous vînmes vous vîntes ils/elles vinrent

Naître – to be born: Il naquit

Vivre – to live: Il vécut

Mourir – to die: Il mourut