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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb défiler

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The English translation of the French verb “défiler” is “to march” or “to parade.” The infinitive form “défiler” is pronounced as “day-fee-lay.”

The word “défiler” originated from the combination of the prefix “dé-” and the noun “file.” In everyday French, “défiler” is commonly used in the Passé Simple tense, which is a literary tense used in written or formal contexts to describe completed actions in the past.

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

  1. Les soldats défilèrent devant le général.
    (The soldiers marched past the general.)

  2. Les étudiants défilèrent dans les rues pour protester.
    (The students paraded in the streets to protest.)

  3. Les danseurs défilèrent sur scène avec élégance.
    (The dancers performed on stage with elegance.)

Note: Although the Passé Simple tense is still used in literature, it is not as commonly used in spoken French, where the Passé Composé tense is preferred for expressing completed actions in the past.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je défilai Je défilai dans la parade. I marched in the parade.
Tu défilas Tu défilas devant moi. You marched in front of me.
Il défila Il défila avec élégance. He marched with elegance.
Elle défila Elle défila sur le podium. She walked down the runway.
On défila On défila en rangs serrés. We marched in tight formation.
Nous défilâmes Nous défilâmes ensemble. We marched together.
Vous défilâtes Vous défilâtes en silence. You marched in silence.
Ils défilèrent Ils défilèrent en uniforme. They marched in uniform.
Elles défilèrent Elles défilèrent joyeusement. They (feminine) marched happily.

Other Conjugations for Défiler.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb défiler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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