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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb boursouffler

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The English translation of the French verb “boursouffler” is “to puff up” or “to swell up.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “boursouffler” is [boor-soof-leh].

“Boursouffler” comes from the combination of the verb “boursoufler” (to swell up) and the prefix “bou-” (intensifier). It is most often used in everyday French in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense to describe a sudden and excessive swelling or puffing up of something.

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

  1. Le visage du clown boursouffla sous l’effet de la piqûre.
    (The clown’s face swelled up from the injection.)

  2. Son orgueil boursouffla lorsqu’il reçut les éloges de son professeur.
    (His pride swelled up when he received praise from his teacher.)

  3. Les ballons boursouflèrent rapidement une fois gonflés.
    (The balloons puffed up quickly once inflated.)

Please note that the Passé Simple tense is mostly used in written French, particularly in literature, and is less commonly used in spoken language or everyday conversation.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je boursoufflai J’ai boursoufflé mon visage. I puffed up my face.
Tu boursoufflas Tu boursoufflas tes joues. You puffed up your cheeks.
Il boursouffla Il boursouffla son ventre. He puffed up his stomach.
Elle boursouffla Elle boursouffla ses lèvres. She puffed up her lips.
On boursouffla On boursouffla ses yeux. One puffed up their eyes.
Nous boursoufflâmes Nous boursoufflâmes nos cheveux. We puffed up our hair.
Vous boursoufflâtes Vous boursoufflâtes votre visage. You puffed up your face.
Ils boursoufflèrent Ils boursoufflèrent leur ventre. They puffed up their stomach.
Elles boursoufflèrent Elles boursoufflèrent leurs joues. They (feminine) puffed up their cheeks.

Other Conjugations for Boursouffler.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb boursouffler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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