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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bêtiser

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The English translation of the French verb “bêtiser” is “to behave foolishly” or “to do something foolishly.” The infinitive form “bêtiser” is pronounced as “bay-tee-zay.”

The word “bêtiser” originates from the French noun “bêtise,” which means “foolishness” or “silliness.” It is a derivative of the adjective “bête,” which translates to “stupid” or “silly.” In everyday French, the verb “bêtiser” is commonly used in the Passé Simple tense (Simple Past) to describe past actions or behaviors that were foolish or silly.

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

  1. Il bêtisa en racontant une blague de mauvais goût.
    (He behaved foolishly by telling an inappropriate joke.)

  2. Elle bêtisa en renversant son verre d’eau sur la table.
    (She did something foolish by spilling her glass of water on the table.)

  3. Ils bêtisèrent en jouant avec le ballon à l’intérieur de la maison.
    (They behaved foolishly by playing with the ball inside the house.)

Note: The Passé Simple tense is primarily used in written French, particularly in literature or formal writing, and is less common in spoken French. In everyday spoken French, the Passé Composé tense is more frequently used to express past actions or behaviors.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je bêtisai Je bêtisai devant tout le monde. I did something silly in front of everyone.
Tu bêtisas Tu bêtisas avec ton ami. You did something silly with your friend.
Il bêtisa Il bêtisa en classe. He did something silly in class.
Elle bêtisa Elle bêtisa pendant la réunion. She did something silly during the meeting.
On bêtisa On bêtisa lors de la fête. One did something silly at the party.
Nous bêtisâmes Nous bêtisâmes en vacances. We did something silly on vacation.
Vous bêtisâtes Vous bêtisâtes dans la rue. You did something silly in the street.
Ils bêtisèrent Ils bêtisèrent à l’école. They did something silly at school.
Elles bêtisèrent Elles bêtisèrent au travail. They (feminine) did something silly at work.

Other Conjugations for Bêtiser.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bêtiser

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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