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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chuchoter

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The English translation of the French verb “chuchoter” is “to whisper.” The infinitive form, “chuchoter,” is pronounced as [ʃy.ʃɔ.te].

The word “chuchoter” originates from the Latin word “susurrare,” meaning “to murmur” or “to whisper.” It is commonly used in everyday French to describe the act of speaking or communicating in a low or soft voice, typically in order to avoid being overheard.

In the Passé Simple tense (Simple Past), “chuchoter” is used less frequently in spoken French but is still found in written literature, historical texts, or formal writing. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Passé Simple tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Les enfants chuchotèrent lorsqu’ils aperçurent le professeur entrer dans la salle.
    (The children whispered when they saw the teacher enter the room.)

  2. Elle chuchota à son ami l’endroit où se trouvait le trésor caché.
    (She whispered to her friend the location of the hidden treasure.)

  3. Les amoureux chuchotèrent doucement des mots doux l’un à l’autre.
    (The lovers whispered sweet words to each other softly.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je chuchotai Je chuchotai à son oreille. I whispered in his ear.
Tu chuchotas Tu chuchotas un secret. You whispered a secret.
Il chuchota Il chuchota une blague. He whispered a joke.
Elle chuchota Elle chuchota un mot doux. She whispered a sweet word.
On chuchota On chuchota des ragots. One whispered gossip.
Nous chuchotâmes Nous chuchotâmes discrètement. We whispered discreetly.
Vous chuchotâtes Vous chuchotâtes à l’oreille. You whispered in the ear.
Ils chuchotèrent Ils chuchotèrent des conseils. They whispered advice.
Elles chuchotèrent Elles chuchotèrent des mots. They (feminine) whispered words.

Other Conjugations for Chuchoter.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chuchoter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Chuchoter – 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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