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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb allumer

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The English translation of the French verb “allumer” is “to light” or “to turn on.” The infinitive form, “allumer,” is pronounced as “a-lyoo-may.”

The verb “allumer” comes from the Latin word “illuminare,” which means “to illuminate.” It is most often used in everyday French to refer to the action of starting or igniting something, such as a fire, a light, or an electronic device. In the Passé Simple tense (Simple Past), this verb is less commonly used in spoken French but can be found in written literature, historical texts, or formal contexts.

Examples of “allumer” in the Passé Simple tense and their English translations:

  1. Il alluma la bougie et créa une ambiance chaleureuse.
    (He lit the candle and created a warm atmosphere.)

  2. Elle alluma la télévision pour regarder son émission préférée.
    (She turned on the television to watch her favorite show.)

  3. Ils allumèrent le barbecue et commencèrent à griller les hamburgers.
    (They started the barbecue and began grilling the burgers.)

Please note that the Passé Simple tense is rarely used in contemporary spoken French, and the examples provided above are primarily for illustrative purposes of the verb’s usage in that specific tense.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je allumai J’allumai la bougie. I lit the candle.
Tu allumas Tu allumas la lampe. You lit the lamp.
Il alluma Il alluma la cheminée. He lit the fireplace.
Elle alluma Elle alluma les bougies. She lit the candles.
On alluma On alluma le feu. One lit the fire.
Nous allumâmes Nous allumâmes le four. We lit the oven.
Vous allumâtes Vous allumâtes la télévision. You lit the television.
Ils allumèrent Ils allumèrent les bougies. They lit the candles.
Elles allumèrent Elles allumèrent les lampes. They (feminine) lit the lamps.

Other Conjugations for Allumer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb allumer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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