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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb criailler

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The English translation of the French verb “criailler” is “to squawk” or “to squabble.” The infinitive form “criailler” is pronounced as kʁja.je.

The verb “criailler” comes from the Old French word “criail,” meaning “a cry” or “a loud noise.” It is derived from the Latin word “querulus,” which means “complaining” or “whining.” In everyday French, the verb “criailler” is most often used in the Passé Simple tense (Simple Past), which is primarily used in written language or formal speech to describe completed actions in the past.

Here are three examples of “criailler” in the Passé Simple tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Les enfants criaillèrent toute la journée.
    (The children squawked all day.)
  2. Les voisins criaillèrent à cause du bruit.
    (The neighbors squabbled because of the noise.)
  3. Les oiseaux criaillèrent dans les arbres.
    (The birds squawked in the trees.)

Please note that the usage of the Passé Simple tense is less common in spoken language and has been largely replaced by the Passé Composé (Present Perfect) tense in everyday French.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je criaillai Je criaillai dans la rue. I shouted in the street.
Tu criaillas Tu criaillas de peur. You shouted out of fear.
Il criailla Il criailla de colère. He shouted in anger.
Elle criailla Elle criailla de douleur. She screamed in pain.
On criailla On criailla de surprise. One shouted in surprise.
Nous criaillâmes Nous criaillâmes de joie. We shouted with joy.
Vous criaillâtes Vous criaillâtes de frustration. You shouted in frustration.
Ils criaillèrent Ils criaillèrent de loin. They shouted from afar.
Elles criaillèrent Elles criaillèrent de bonheur. They (feminine) shouted with happiness.

Other Conjugations for Criailler.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb criailler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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