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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bluffer

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of bluffer. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb “bluffer” is “to bluff.” The infinitive form “bluffer” is pronounced as “bluh-fay.”

The word “bluffer” originates from the English language, specifically from the noun “bluff.” In everyday French, “bluffer” is commonly used in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense to describe past actions that occurred and were completed in the past. However, it is worth noting that the Passé Simple tense is mostly used in formal or written contexts, such as literature or historical texts, and is not frequently used in everyday spoken French.

Here are three simple examples of “bluffer” in the Passé Simple tense:

  1. Il bluffa ses adversaires et remporta la partie.
    (He bluffed his opponents and won the game.)

  2. Elle bluffa tout le monde en faisant semblant de savoir danser.
    (She bluffed everyone by pretending to know how to dance.)

  3. Le directeur bluffa ses employés pour obtenir leur collaboration.
    (The manager bluffed his employees to get their cooperation.)

Please note that these examples are provided in the Passé Simple tense, but in everyday spoken French, the more commonly used past tense is the Passé Composé.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je bluffai J’ai bluffé au poker. I bluffed in poker.
Tu bluffas Tu bluffas avec assurance. You bluffed with confidence.
Il bluffa Il bluffa lors de la négociation. He bluffed during the negotiation.
Elle bluffa Elle bluffa pour gagner la partie. She bluffed to win the game.
On bluffa On bluffa en jouant au poker. One bluffed while playing poker.
Nous bluffâmes Nous bluffâmes pendant tout le jeu. We bluffed throughout the game.
Vous bluffâtes Vous bluffâtes avec succès. You bluffed successfully.
Ils bluffèrent Ils bluffèrent pour tromper leurs adversaires. They bluffed to deceive their opponents.
Elles bluffèrent Elles bluffèrent pour impressionner. They (feminine) bluffed to impress.

Other Conjugations for Bluffer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bluffer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the bluffer Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply