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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb baffer

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The English translation of the French verb “baffer” is “to slap” or “to smack.” The infinitive form of “baffer” is pronounced as “bah-fay.”

The verb “baffer” originates from the Old French word “baf,” which means “slap” or “blow.” It is commonly used in everyday French in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense, although this tense is mostly found in written or formal language rather than spoken conversation.

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

  1. Il me baffa en plein visage. (He slapped me right in the face.)
  2. Elle baffa son frère pour sa désobéissance. (She slapped her brother for his disobedience.)
  3. Les deux hommes se baffèrent mutuellement lors de leur dispute. (The two men slapped each other during their argument.)

Note: The Passé Simple tense is rarely used in spoken French, and the more commonly used tense to express the past is the Passé Composé.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je baffai Je baffai mon adversaire. I slapped my opponent.
Tu baffas Tu baffas ton camarade. You slapped your friend.
Il baffa Il baffa le voleur. He slapped the thief.
Elle baffa Elle baffa son frère. She slapped her brother.
On baffa On baffa le menteur. One slapped the liar.
Nous baffâmes Nous baffâmes nos ennemis. We slapped our enemies.
Vous baffâtes Vous baffâtes le coupable. You slapped the guilty one.
Ils baffèrent Ils baffèrent les tricheurs. They slapped the cheaters.
Elles baffèrent Elles baffèrent les menteuses. They (feminine) slapped the liars.

Other Conjugations for Baffer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb baffer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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