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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb complimenter

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The English translation of the French verb “complimenter” is “to compliment.” The infinitive form “complimenter” is pronounced as kɔ̃.pli.mɑ̃.te.

The word “complimenter” has its origins in the Latin word “complimentum,” which means “civil ceremony” or “politeness.” In everyday French, the verb “complimenter” is commonly used to express admiration, praise, or offering compliments to someone.

In the Passé Simple tense (Simple Past), “complimenter” is not frequently used in everyday French speech. It is more commonly found in formal or written contexts. However, here are three examples of its usage in this tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Il la complimenta sincèrement pour son talent.
    Translation: He sincerely complimented her for her talent.

  2. L’écrivain complimenta tous les invités lors de la cérémonie.
    Translation: The writer complimented all the guests during the ceremony.

  3. Durant cette soirée, elle lui complimentera son élégance à plusieurs reprises.
    Translation: During this evening, she complimented him on his elegance several times.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je complimentai Je complimentai mes collègues. I complimented my colleagues.
Tu complimentas Tu complimentas ton ami. You complimented your friend.
Il complimenta Il complimenta sa sœur. He complimented his sister.
Elle complimenta Elle complimenta son professeur. She complimented her teacher.
On complimenta On complimenta l’équipe. One complimented the team.
Nous complimentâmes Nous complimentâmes nos voisins. We complimented our neighbors.
Vous complimentâtes Vous complimentâtes votre chef. You complimented your boss.
Ils complimentèrent Ils complimentèrent leur entraîneur. They complimented their coach.
Elles complimentèrent Elles complimentèrent leur amie. They (feminine) complimented their friend.

Other Conjugations for Complimenter.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb complimenter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Complimenter – 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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