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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb consoler

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The English translation of the French verb “consoler” is “to console” or “to comfort.” The infinitive form of “consoler” is pronounced as “kon-soh-lay.”

The verb “consoler” originates from the Latin word “consolari,” meaning “to console” or “to comfort.” In everyday French, the Passé Simple tense is rarely used in spoken language but is mostly found in written literature, particularly in storytelling or historical accounts.

Here are three examples of “consoler” in the Passé Simple tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Quand il apprit la nouvelle, il la consola en lui offrant une épaule sur laquelle pleurer.
    (When he learned the news, he comforted her by offering a shoulder to cry on.)

  2. Le père consola son fils après l’échec de son examen en lui donnant des conseils.
    (The father consoled his son after his exam failure by giving him some advice.)

  3. Elle consola son ami en lui rappelant de bons souvenirs.
    (She comforted her friend by reminding him of good memories.)

Please note that the Passé Simple tense is rarely used in contemporary French, and the examples given here may be more commonly expressed using other verb tenses in everyday conversation.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je consolai Je le consolai après sa rupture. I consoled him after his breakup.
Tu consolas Tu la consolas dans sa peine. You comforted her in her sorrow.
Il consola Il le consola après l’accident. He comforted him after the accident.
Elle consola Elle la consola dans sa douleur. She comforted her in her pain.
On consola On le consola après sa défaite. One comforted him after his defeat.
Nous consolâmes Nous les consolâmes après leur échec. We comforted them after their failure.
Vous consolâtes Vous les consolâtes dans leur peine. You comforted them in their sorrow.
Ils consolèrent Ils les consolèrent après leur séparation. They comforted them after their separation.
Elles consolèrent Elles les consolèrent dans leur chagrin. They (feminine) comforted them in their grief.

Other Conjugations for Consoler.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb consoler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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