Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb aiguillonner

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The English translation of the French verb “aiguillonner” is “to goad” or “to spur on.” The infinitive form of “aiguillonner” is pronounced as [eh-gwee-yoh-neh].

The verb “aiguillonner” originates from the noun “aiguillon,” which means “a spur” or “a goad” in French. It is derived from the Old French word “aguillon,” ultimately coming from the Latin word “acicula,” meaning “a small needle” or “a sting.”

In everyday French, the Passé Simple tense is mainly used in written or formal language, such as literature or historical texts. Its usage in spoken language is less common. Here are three examples of how “aiguillonner” can be used in the Passé Simple tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Les critiques aiguillonnèrent l’artiste à donner le meilleur de lui-même.
    (The critics goaded the artist to give his best.)

  2. La défaite aiguillonna l’équipe à se surpasser lors du match suivant.
    (The defeat spurred on the team to surpass themselves in the next match.)

  3. Les paroles inspirantes du coach aiguillonnèrent les joueurs à se battre jusqu’au bout.
    (The coach’s inspiring words goaded the players to fight until the end.)

Please note that usage of Passé Simple in spoken language is quite rare, and the examples provided here are more appropriate for written or formal contexts.

Table of the Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of aiguillonner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je aiguillonnai J’aiguillonnai le cheval. I spurred the horse.
Tu aiguillonnas Tu aiguillonnas le taureau. You spurred the bull.
Il aiguillonna Il aiguillonna l’équipe. He spurred the team.
Elle aiguillonna Elle aiguillonna son mari. She spurred her husband.
On aiguillonna On aiguillonna les travailleurs. One spurred the workers.
Nous aiguillonnâmes Nous aiguillonnâmes les joueurs. We spurred the players.
Vous aiguillonnâtes Vous aiguillonnâtes le chien. You spurred the dog.
Ils aiguillonnèrent Ils aiguillonnèrent les soldats. They spurred the soldiers.
Elles aiguillonnèrent Elles aiguillonnèrent les vaches. They (feminine) spurred the cows.

Other Conjugations for Aiguillonner.

Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner (You’re reading it right now!)

Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aiguillonner

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Aiguillonner – About the French Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense

The French Passé Simple, also known as the Simple Past or Preterite, is a past tense used in written French to describe completed actions that took place at a specific point in the past.
It is not commonly used in everyday spoken language, where the Passé Composé is the preferred past tense. The Passé Simple is mainly found in literature, formal writing, and historical contexts. It has a somewhat limited use in modern French, and its conjugation can be complex.  
NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see our article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation

The Passé Simple is formed by conjugating the verb according to its specific endings for regular and irregular verbs. The endings typically vary based on the verb group (i.e., -er, -ir, or -re). For example:
   – For regular -er verbs (e.g., manger, parler): Remove the -er ending and add appropriate endings, like -ai, -as, -a, -âmes, -âtes, -èrent.
   – For regular -ir verbs (e.g., finir, choisir): Remove the -ir ending and add endings like -is, -is, -it, -îmes, -îtes, -irent.
   – For regular -re verbs (e.g., vendre, attendre): Remove the -re ending and add endings like -is, -is, -it, -îmes, -îtes, -irent.

Usage

Narration

The Passé Simple is commonly used in literature to describe past events in a narrative or storytelling context.

Historical Context

It can be used in historical writing or documents to discuss events that took place in the past.
Formal Writing
In formal or academic writing, especially in essays or reports, you might encounter the Passé Simple.

Interactions with other tenses

Passé Composé

In everyday spoken French, the Passé Composé is the go-to tense for describing completed actions in the past. The Passé Simple is not commonly used in spoken language and is often replaced by the Passé Composé.

Imparfait

While the Passé Simple focuses on completed actions in the past, the Imparfait is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. They can sometimes be used together to provide a more detailed past narrative. For example, “Il lisait un livre quand il reçut un appel.” (He was reading a book when he received a call).

Conditional and Subjunctive

The Passé Simple can also be found in the conditional and subjunctive moods in formal writing. For instance, “Il faudrait qu’il partît” (He should leave, subjunctive).

Summary

The French Passé Simple is primarily used in formal or literary contexts, and its conjugation can be quite complex. In everyday spoken French, the Passé Composé is the preferred past tense for describing completed actions.

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb aiguillonner. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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