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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb converser

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The English translation of the French verb “converser” is “to converse” or “to talk.” The infinitive form of “converser” is pronounced as /kɔ̃.vɛʁ.se/.

The verb “converser” originated from the Latin word “conversare,” which meant “to live among, to spend time with.” In everyday French, “converser” is most often used in the present tense to indicate a conversation or an exchange of words between two or more people.

In the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense, which is mainly used in written French, “converser” can convey past actions or events in a formal context. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Passé Simple tense, with English translations:

  1. Nous conversâmes toute la nuit. (We conversed all night.)
  2. Il conversa avec elle pendant des heures. (He talked with her for hours.)
  3. Les amis conversèrent joyeusement à la fête. (The friends conversed happily at the party.)

Please note that the Passé Simple tense is rarely used in spoken French, and the passé composé or the imparfait tenses are more commonly employed to express past actions.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je conversai Je conversai avec lui. I conversed with him.
Tu conversas Tu conversas avec elle. You conversed with her.
Il conversa Il conversa longtemps. He conversed for a long time.
Elle conversa Elle conversa avec eux. She conversed with them.
On conversa On conversa en français. One conversed in French.
Nous conversâmes Nous conversâmes devant le feu. We conversed in front of the fire.
Vous conversâtes Vous conversâtes pendant des heures. You conversed for hours.
Ils conversèrent Ils conversèrent en anglais. They conversed in English.
Elles conversèrent Elles conversèrent tranquillement. They (feminine) conversed quietly.

Other Conjugations for Converser.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb converser

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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