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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cisailler

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The English translation of the French verb “cisailler” is “to notch” or “to cut with pinking shears.” The infinitive form of “cisailler” is pronounced as /sizaje/.

“Cisailler” originated from the Old French word “sisaille” or “sisal,” which referred to a type of cutting tool used in tailoring. In everyday French, the verb “cisailler” is commonly used in the Passé Simple tense, which is primarily found in written or formal speech.

Here are three simple examples of how “cisailler” is used in the Passé Simple tense, with their English translations:

  1. Ils cisaillèrent les tissus pour créer des motifs originaux.
    (They notched the fabrics to create original patterns.)

  2. La couturière cisailla les bords du tissu pour éviter qu’ils ne s’effilochent.
    (The seamstress cut the edges of the fabric with pinking shears to prevent them from fraying.)

  3. Il cisailla rapidement les feuilles pour en faire des confettis colorés.
    (He quickly cut the leaves with notches to turn them into colored confetti.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je cisaillai J’ai cisaillé le papier. I cut the paper.
Tu cisaillas Tu cisaillas la tôle. You cut the sheet metal.
Il cisailla Il cisailla le tissu. He cut the fabric.
Elle cisailla Elle cisailla les feuilles. She cut the leaves.
On cisailla On cisailla les branches. One cut the branches.
Nous cisaillâmes Nous cisaillâmes le carton. We cut the cardboard.
Vous cisaillâtes Vous cisaillâtes la haie. You cut the hedge.
Ils cisaillèrent Ils cisaillèrent les câbles. They cut the cables.
Elles cisaillèrent Elles cisaillèrent les fleurs. They (feminine) cut the flowers.

Other Conjugations for Cisailler.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cisailler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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