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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb conformer

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The English translation of the French verb “conformer” is “to conform.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “conformer” is kɔ̃.fɔʁ.me.

The verb “conformer” is derived from the Latin word “conformare,” which means “to shape, mold, or adapt.” In everyday French, it is commonly used in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense to describe actions or events that occurred in the past. However, it is important to note that the Passé Simple tense is mostly used in written French, such as literature or formal writing, rather than in spoken language.

Here are three simple examples of the usage of “conformer” in the Passé Simple tense with their English translations:

  1. Il se conforma aux règles strictes. (He conformed to the strict rules.)
  2. Elle se conforma à la demande de son professeur. (She complied with her teacher’s request.)
  3. Nous nous conformâmes aux instructions du manuel. (We adhered to the instructions in the manual.)

Please bear in mind that the use of the Passé Simple tense is not as prevalent in everyday spoken French as it once was. The Passé Composé or other compound tenses are more commonly used to discuss past actions in modern spoken French.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je conformai Je me conformai aux règles. I conformed to the rules.
Tu conformas Tu te conformas aux normes. You conformed to the standards.
Il conforma Il se conforma à la décision. He conformed to the decision.
Elle conforma Elle se conforma aux exigences. She conformed to the requirements.
On conforma On se conforma aux instructions. One conformed to the instructions.
Nous conformâmes Nous nous conformâmes à la loi. We conformed to the law.
Vous conformâtes Vous vous conformâtes aux recommandations. You conformed to the recommendations.
Ils conformèrent Ils se conformèrent aux coutumes. They conformed to the customs.
Elles conformèrent Elles se conformèrent aux attentes. They (feminine) conformed to the expectations.

Other Conjugations for Conformer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conformer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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