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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb contrer

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The English translation of the French verb “contrer” is “to counter” or “to oppose.” The infinitive form “contrer” is pronounced as [kɔ̃tʁe].

The verb “contrer” originated from the Old French word “contre,” meaning “against.” In everyday French, the verb is commonly used in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense to describe past actions or events. However, it is important to note that the Passé Simple tense is primarily used in written French, such as literature or formal writing, and is less commonly used in spoken language.

Here are three simple examples of “contrer” being used in the Passé Simple tense, along with their English translations:

  1. J’entrepris une formation pour contrer mes peurs. (I took a course to counter my fears.)
  2. L’équipe adverse contre-attaqua rapidement. (The opposing team quickly counterattacked.)
  3. Le gouvernement mit en place des mesures pour contrer la crise économique. (The government implemented measures to counter the economic crisis.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je contrecarrai Je contrecarrai ses plans. I thwarted his plans.
Tu contrecarras Tu contrecarras leurs projets. You thwarted their projects.
Il contrecarra Il contrecarra son adversaire. He thwarted his opponent.
Elle contrecarra Elle contrecarra leurs attaques. She thwarted their attacks.
On contrecarra On contrecarra la tentative. One thwarted the attempt.
Nous contrecarrâmes Nous contrecarrâmes leurs machinations. We thwarted their machinations.
Vous contrecarrâtes Vous contrecarrâtes les plans. You thwarted the plans.
Ils contrecarrèrent Ils contrecarrèrent l’invasion. They thwarted the invasion.
Elles contrecarrèrent Elles contrecarrèrent leur progression. They (feminine) thwarted their progress.

Other Conjugations for Contrer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contrer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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