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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déambuler

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of déambuler. 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 déambuler is “to stroll” or “to wander”. The infinitive form déambuler is pronounced as “day-ahm-byuh-lay”.

Déambuler is derived from the Latin word “ambulare”, meaning “to walk”. In everyday French, déambuler is commonly used in the Passé Simple tense, which is the historical literary past tense. In contemporary spoken French, the Passé Composé is typically used instead.

Here are three examples of déambuler in the Passé Simple tense with their English translations:

  1. Je déambulai dans les ruelles pittoresques du vieux Paris. (I strolled in the picturesque alleys of old Paris.)
  2. Tu déambulas toute la nuit sans but précis. (You wandered all night without a specific goal.)
  3. Il déambula le long de la plage, perdu dans ses pensées. (He walked along the beach, lost in his thoughts.)

Please note that the Passé Simple tense is rarely used in spoken French and is primarily found in formal writing, literature, or historical contexts.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je déambulai J’ai déambulai dans la ville. I strolled in the city.
Tu déambulas Tu déambulas dans le parc. You strolled in the park.
Il déambula Il déambula dans la rue. He strolled in the street.
Elle déambula Elle déambula dans le jardin. She strolled in the garden.
On déambula On déambula dans le quartier. One strolled in the neighborhood.
Nous déambulâmes Nous déambulâmes sur la plage. We strolled on the beach.
Vous déambulâtes Vous déambulâtes dans le musée. You strolled in the museum.
Ils déambulèrent Ils déambulèrent dans le centre-ville. They strolled in the city center.
Elles déambulèrent Elles déambulèrent dans le parc. They (feminine) strolled in the park.

Other Conjugations for Déambuler.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déambuler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 déambuler Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply