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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb calculer

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The English translation of the French verb “calculer” is “to calculate.” The infinitive form “calculer” is pronounced as [ka-ky-le].

The verb “calculer” has its origins in the Latin word “calculare,” which means “to reckon” or “to compute.” In everyday French, “calculer” is commonly used in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense in written language, literature, or formal settings. However, in spoken language, the Passé Composé tense is more frequently used to talk about past events.

Examples in the Passé Simple tense:

  1. J’additionnai les nombres pour calculer le total.
    (I added the numbers to calculate the total.)

  2. Elle calcula le pourcentage de réduction.
    (She calculated the percentage of discount.)

  3. Nous calculâmes la distance parcourue en kilomètres.
    (We calculated the distance traveled in kilometers.)

English translations:

  1. I added the numbers to calculate the total.
  2. She calculated the percentage of discount.
  3. We calculated the distance traveled in kilometers.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je calculai Je calculai le résultat. I calculated the result.
Tu calculas Tu calculas la somme. You calculated the sum.
Il calcula Il calcula la distance. He calculated the distance.
Elle calcula Elle calcula le prix. She calculated the price.
On calcula On calcula le pourcentage. One calculated the percentage.
Nous calculâmes Nous calculâmes les dépenses. We calculated the expenses.
Vous calculâtes Vous calculâtes le temps. You calculated the time.
Ils calculèrent Ils calculèrent la surface. They calculated the area.
Elles calculèrent Elles calculèrent le volume. They (feminine) calculated the volume.

Other Conjugations for Calculer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb calculer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Calculer – 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.

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