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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb arbitrer

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The English translation of the French verb “arbitrer” is “to arbitrate.” The infinitive form of “arbitrer” is pronounced as “ahr-bee-tray.”

The word “arbitrer” comes from the Latin word “arbitrari,” which means “to give judgment.” In everyday French, “arbitrer” is commonly used in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense to describe actions that occurred in the past and are now completed. However, it is important to note that the Passé Simple tense is mostly used in written French, particularly in literature.

Here are three simple examples of “arbitrer” used in the Passé Simple tense:

  1. L’arbitre arbitra le match équitablement. (The referee arbitrated the match fairly.)
  2. Elle arbitra la dispute entre les deux parties. (She arbitrated the dispute between the two parties.)
  3. Les dirigeants ont arbitré le conflit en trouvant un compromis. (The leaders arbitrated the conflict by finding a compromise.)

English translations:

  1. The referee arbitrated the match fairly.
  2. She arbitrated the dispute between the two parties.
  3. The leaders arbitrated the conflict by finding a compromise.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je arbitrai J’arbitrai le match. I arbitrated the game.
Tu arbitras Tu arbitras la compétition. You arbitrated the competition.
Il arbitra Il arbitra le conflit. He arbitrated the conflict.
Elle arbitra Elle arbitra le différend. She arbitrated the dispute.
On arbitra On arbitra la rencontre. One arbitrated the meeting.
Nous arbitrâmes Nous arbitrâmes le débat. We arbitrated the debate.
Vous arbitrâtes Vous arbitrâtes le litige. You arbitrated the dispute.
Ils arbitrèrent Ils arbitrèrent le cas. They arbitrated the case.
Elles arbitrèrent Elles arbitrèrent l’affaire. They (feminine) arbitrated the matter.

Other Conjugations for Arbitrer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb arbitrer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Arbitrer – 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.

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