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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cocotter

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The English translation of the French verb “cocotter” is “to flirt.” The infinitive form “cocotter” is pronounced as /ko-kɔ-te/.

The word “cocotter” originates from the French noun “cocotte,” which refers to a young and attractive woman, often with the connotation of being a mistress or courtesan. The verb “cocotter” developed from this noun and is used in everyday French to describe the act of flirting or engaging in playful romantic interactions.

In the Passé Simple tense (Simple Past), “cocotter” is used less frequently in everyday French conversations compared to other tenses. However, it is still occasionally used in literary or formal contexts. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Passé Simple tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Elle cocotta avec lui toute la soirée.
    (She flirted with him all evening.)

  2. Hier, il cocotta avec toutes les filles de la fête.
    (Yesterday, he flirted with all the girls at the party.)

  3. Les deux tourtereaux cocottèrent pendant des heures.
    (The lovebirds flirted for hours.)

It’s important to note that the Passé Simple tense is mostly used in written French, such as literature or historical texts, and is less commonly used in spoken language. In everyday spoken French, the equivalent of the Passé Simple is usually the Passé Composé tense.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je cocottai J’ai cocottai les œufs. I cooked the eggs in a casserole.
Tu cocottas Tu cocottas la soupe. You cooked the soup in a casserole.
Il cocotta Il cocotta le poulet. He cooked the chicken in a casserole.
Elle cocotta Elle cocotta le riz. She cooked the rice in a casserole.
On cocotta On cocotta les légumes. One cooked the vegetables in a casserole.
Nous cocottâmes Nous cocottâmes la viande. We cooked the meat in a casserole.
Vous cocottâtes Vous cocottâtes les pommes de terre. You cooked the potatoes in a casserole.
Ils cocottèrent Ils cocottèrent les haricots. They cooked the beans in a casserole.
Elles cocottèrent Elles cocottèrent le poisson. They (feminine) cooked the fish in a casserole.

Other Conjugations for Cocotter.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cocotter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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