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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb couturer

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of couturer. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb “couturer” is “to sew.” The infinitive form of “couturer” is pronounced as “koo-tyuh-ray.”

“Couturer” originated from the Old French word “coudre,” which also means “to sew.” In everyday French, the verb “couturer” is most commonly used in the Passé Simple tense, which is equivalent to the Simple Past tense in English. However, it is important to note that the Passé Simple tense is mainly used in written French, particularly in literature or historical contexts, as it is not frequently used in spoken language.

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

  1. Elle coudit une jolie robe.
    (She sewed a pretty dress.)

  2. Il coutura les boutons sur la chemise.
    (He sewed the buttons onto the shirt.)

  3. Les couturières couturèrent des vêtements pour la collection de mode.
    (The seamstresses sewed clothes for the fashion collection.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je cousus Je cousus la robe. I sewed the dress.
Tu cousus Tu cousus le bouton. You sewed the button.
Il cousut Il cousut le tissu. He sewed the fabric.
Elle cousut Elle cousut la jupe. She sewed the skirt.
On cousut On cousut la couture. One sewed the seam.
Nous cousûmes Nous cousûmes les ourlets. We sewed the hems.
Vous cousûtes Vous cousûtes la chemise. You sewed the shirt.
Ils cousurent Ils cousurent les rideaux. They sewed the curtains.
Elles cousurent Elles cousurent la nappe. They (feminine) sewed the tablecloth.

Other Conjugations for Couturer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb couturer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the couturer Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply