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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb aléser

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of aléser. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb “aléser” is “to ream.” The infinitive form “aléser” is pronounced as “ah-leh-zay.”

The word “aléser” comes from the Old French word “aleser,” which originated from the Latin word “ad levare,” meaning “to lift up.” In everyday French, the verb “aléser” is commonly used in the Passé Simple tense, which is typically reserved for formal writing or literature.

Here are three simple examples of “aléser” in the Passé Simple tense, along with their English translations:

  1. J’alésai le trou pour l’ajuster parfaitement. (I reamed the hole to fit it perfectly.)
  2. Il alésa les conduits pour faciliter le passage de l’eau. (He reamed the pipes to facilitate the water flow.)
  3. Elle alésa la pièce de métal avant de la souder. (She reamed the metal part before welding it.)

Please note that the Passé Simple tense is rarely used in spoken French, and the more common tense for everyday conversation is the Passé Composé.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je alésai J’alésai le trou. I reamed the hole.
Tu alésas Tu alésas la pièce. You reamed the workpiece.
Il alésa Il alésa le cylindre. He reamed the cylinder.
Elle alésa Elle alésa la surface. She reamed the surface.
On alésa On alésa la tige. One reamed the rod.
Nous alésâmes Nous alésâmes les tubes. We reamed the tubes.
Vous alésâtes Vous alésâtes le trou. You reamed the hole.
Ils alésèrent Ils alésèrent le conduit. They reamed the conduit.
Elles alésèrent Elles alésèrent la pièce. They (feminine) reamed the workpiece.

Other Conjugations for Aléser.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aléser

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the aléser Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

Aléser – 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 aléser. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply