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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb contempler

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The English translation of the French verb “contempler” is “to contemplate” or “to gaze at.” The infinitive form “contempler” is pronounced as [kɔ̃.tɑ̃.ple].

The verb “contempler” originates from the Latin word “contemplare,” which means “to gaze at” or “to consider.” In everyday French, the Passé Simple tense (Simple Past) is rarely used, especially in spoken language. It is mostly found in formal writing, literature, or historical contexts. The Passé Simple tense is used to describe completed actions in the past.

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

  1. J’entrai dans la chapelle et contemplai le magnifique vitrail.
    (I entered the chapel and contemplated the magnificent stained glass window.)

  2. Elle s’assit sur le banc et contempla le coucher de soleil.
    (She sat on the bench and gazed at the sunset.)

  3. Les touristes visitèrent le musée et contemplèrent les œuvres d’art.
    (The tourists visited the museum and admired the artworks.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je contemplai Je contemplai le coucher de soleil. I contemplated the sunset.
Tu contemplas Tu contemplas la mer. You contemplated the sea.
Il contempla Il contempla la montagne. He contemplated the mountain.
Elle contempla Elle contempla le tableau. She contemplated the painting.
On contempla On contempla le paysage. One contemplated the landscape.
Nous contemplâmes Nous contemplâmes la nature. We contemplated nature.
Vous contemplâtes Vous contemplâtes les étoiles. You contemplated the stars.
Ils contemplèrent Ils contemplèrent le monument. They contemplated the monument.
Elles contemplèrent Elles contemplèrent le ciel. They (feminine) contemplated the sky.

Other Conjugations for Contempler.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contempler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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