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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb canuler

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The English translation of the French verb “canuler” is “to curl (up).” The infinitive form “canuler” is pronounced as “ka-nye-lay.”

The verb “canuler” originated from the Latin word “canellus” meaning “small tube” or “small pipe.” In everyday French, it is most commonly used in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense when narrating past events. However, it is important to note that the Passé Simple tense is rarely used in spoken French and is mostly found in literature or formal writing.

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

  1. Je canulai dans le fauteuil et j’ai lu un livre toute la journée.
    (I curled up in the armchair and read a book all day.)

  2. Elle se canula sur le canapé et regarda un film.
    (She curled up on the couch and watched a movie.)

  3. Ils canulèrent ensemble près de la cheminée en écoutant de la musique.
    (They curled up together by the fireplace, listening to music.)

Please note that the Passé Simple tense is used less frequently in modern French, and the more common past tense is the Passé Composé.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je canulai J’ai canulé le tuyau. I cannulated the tube.
Tu canulas Tu as canulé la veine. You cannulated the vein.
Il canula Il a canulé l’artère. He cannulated the artery.
Elle canula Elle a canulé le patient. She cannulated the patient.
On canula On a canulé le vaisseau. One cannulated the vessel.
Nous canulâmes Nous avons canulé la carotide. We cannulated the carotid.
Vous canulâtes Vous avez canulé la veine jugulaire. You cannulated the jugular vein.
Ils canulèrent Ils ont canulé l’artère coronaire. They cannulated the coronary artery.
Elles canulèrent Elles ont canulé le bras. They (feminine) cannulated the arm.

Other Conjugations for Canuler.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canuler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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