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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb balafrer

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The English translation of the French verb “balafrer” is “to slash” or “to gash.” The infinitive form “balafrer” is pronounced as [ba-la-fʁe].

The verb “balafrer” originates from the Old French word “bafler” which meant “to gape” or “to yawn.” Over time, its meaning evolved to refer to a more violent action, specifically the act of slashing or gashing someone or something with a sharp object. In everyday French, the verb “balafrer” is used less frequently in the Simple Past tense (Passé Simple) as it is a literary tense mainly found in written texts such as literature or historical accounts.

Here are three examples of how “balafrer” can be used in the Passé Simple tense along with their English translations:

  1. Les pirates balafrèrent le capitaine ennemi avec leurs sabres.
    (The pirates slashed the enemy captain with their sabers.)

  2. L’assassin balafrera son visage pour ne pas être reconnu.
    (The assassin gashed his face to avoid being recognized.)

  3. Le soldat balafrât son ennemi lors de la bataille.
    (The soldier slashed his enemy during the battle.)

It’s important to note that while the Passé Simple tense is less commonly used in contemporary spoken French, it is still encountered in formal writing and literature.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je balafrai Je balafrai son visage. I scarred his face.
Tu balafras Tu balafras sa réputation. You scarred his reputation.
Il balafra Il balafra son bras. He scarred his arm.
Elle balafra Elle balafra ses mains. She scarred her hands.
On balafra On balafra la table. One scarred the table.
Nous balafrâmes Nous balafrâmes le bois. We scarred the wood.
Vous balafrâtes Vous balafrâtes la porte. You scarred the door.
Ils balafrèrent Ils balafrèrent le sol. They scarred the floor.
Elles balafrèrent Elles balafrèrent le mur. They (feminine) scarred the wall.

Other Conjugations for Balafrer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb balafrer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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