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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déconcerter

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of déconcerter. 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 “déconcerter” is “to disconcert” or “to unsettle.” The infinitive form of “déconcerter” is pronounced as [de-kɔ̃.seʁ.te].

The word “déconcerter” originated from the Latin word “concertare,” meaning “to fight.” In everyday French, it is commonly used to express the act of surprising or confusing someone, causing them to lose their composure or confidence. In the Passé Simple tense (Simple Past), “déconcerter” is used to describe actions or events that occurred in the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Passé Simple tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je déconcertai mes collègues avec ma réponse inattendue.
    (I disconcerted my colleagues with my unexpected answer.)

  2. L’annonce de sa démission déconcerta tout le monde.
    (The announcement of his resignation unsettled everyone.)

  3. Sa réaction déconcerta les spectateurs présents.
    (His reaction disconcerted the present spectators.)

In these examples, “déconcerter” is used to describe actions or situations that caused surprise, confusion, or unease in the past.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je déconcertai Je déconcertai tout le monde. I disconcerted everyone.
Tu déconcertas Tu déconcertas tes amis. You disconcerted your friends.
Il déconcerta Il déconcerta la foule. He disconcerted the crowd.
Elle déconcerta Elle déconcerta ses collègues. She disconcerted her colleagues.
On déconcerta On déconcerta les spectateurs. One disconcerted the spectators.
Nous déconcertâmes Nous déconcertâmes nos adversaires. We disconcerted our opponents.
Vous déconcertâtes Vous déconcertâtes le jury. You disconcerted the jury.
Ils déconcertèrent Ils déconcertèrent leurs professeurs. They disconcerted their teachers.
Elles déconcertèrent Elles déconcertèrent les invités. They (feminine) disconcerted the guests.

Other Conjugations for Déconcerter.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déconcerter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 déconcerter Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply