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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb besogner

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The English translation of the French verb “besogner” is “to toil” or “to work hard.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “besogner” is [bey-so-nyey].

The word “besogner” originated from the Old French verb “soigner,” meaning “to take care of.” Over time, the prefix “be-” was added, intensifying the meaning of the verb. In everyday French, “besogner” is commonly used in the Passé Simple tense to describe actions that occurred in the past, especially when emphasizing hard work or toiling.

Three examples of its usage in the Passé Simple tense:

  1. Je besognai toute la journée pour terminer le projet.
    (I toiled all day to finish the project.)

  2. Nous besognâmes durant des mois pour rénover la maison.
    (We worked hard for months to renovate the house.)

  3. Les ouvriers besognèrent sans relâche afin de terminer la construction à temps.
    (The workers toiled tirelessly to finish the construction on time.)

English translations:

  1. I toiled all day to finish the project.
  2. We worked hard for months to renovate the house.
  3. The workers toiled tirelessly to finish the construction on time.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je besognai Je besognai toute la journée. I toiled all day.
Tu besognas Tu besognas pour gagner de l’argent. You toiled to earn money.
Il besogna Il besogna durant des heures. He toiled for hours.
Elle besogna Elle besogna pour réaliser son projet. She toiled to accomplish her project.
On besogna On besogna pour réussir. One toiled to succeed.
Nous besognâmes Nous besognâmes sans relâche. We toiled tirelessly.
Vous besognâtes Vous besognâtes pour atteindre vos objectifs. You toiled to achieve your goals.
Ils besognèrent Ils besognèrent jour et nuit. They toiled day and night.
Elles besognèrent Elles besognèrent avec acharnement. They (feminine) toiled relentlessly.

Other Conjugations for Besogner.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb besogner

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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