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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb baliser

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The English translation of the French verb “baliser” is “to mark” or “to indicate.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “baliser” is [ba-lee-zay].

“Baliser” originates from the noun “balise,” meaning “marker” or “beacon.” In everyday French, the verb “baliser” is commonly used in the Passé Simple tense (Simple Past) to indicate actions that occurred in the past, particularly in formal writing or storytelling.

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

  1. J’indiquai le chemin en balisant les arbres.
    (I marked the path by indicating the trees.)

  2. Il balisa la zone dangereuse avec des panneaux.
    (He marked the dangerous area with signs.)

  3. Elle balisa la piste pour les coureurs.
    (She marked the track for the runners.)

Please note that the Passé Simple tense is mainly used in formal writing, literature, or historical contexts in contemporary French.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je balisai J’ai balisé le chemin. I marked the path.
Tu balisas Tu balisas la piste. You marked the track.
Il balisa Il balisa le sentier. He marked the trail.
Elle balisa Elle balisa la route. She marked the road.
On balisa On balisa le parcours. One marked the course.
Nous balisâmes Nous balisâmes le circuit. We marked the circuit.
Vous balisâtes Vous balisâtes le chemin. You marked the path.
Ils balisèrent Ils balisèrent la zone. They marked the area.
Elles balisèrent Elles balisèrent la piste. They (feminine) marked the track.

Other Conjugations for Baliser.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb baliser

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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