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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb députer

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The English translation of the French verb députer is “to delegate” or “to appoint.” The infinitive form of députer is pronounced as “deh-poo-teh.”

Députer comes from the Latin word “deputare,” meaning “to consider” or “to reckon.” In everyday French, députer is commonly used in the Passé Simple tense to refer to actions or events that occurred in the past. However, it is important to note that the Passé Simple tense is rarely used in spoken language and is mostly found in formal writing or literature.

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

  1. Le président députa un représentant pour négocier avec l’étranger.
    Translation: The president appointed a representative to negotiate with foreign countries.

  2. L’entreprise députa une équipe pour mener l’enquête.
    Translation: The company delegated a team to conduct the investigation.

  3. Le gouvernement députa un ministre pour assurer la transition.
    Translation: The government assigned a minister to ensure the transition.

These examples demonstrate how députer is used to convey the idea of delegation or appointment in the past.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je députai Je députai mon collègue. I appointed my colleague.
Tu députas Tu députas cette personne. You appointed that person.
Il députa Il députa le nouveau président. He appointed the new president.
Elle députa Elle députa un représentant. She appointed a representative.
On députa On députa un comité. One appointed a committee.
Nous députâmes Nous députâmes nos délégués. We appointed our delegates.
Vous députâtes Vous députâtes le maire. You appointed the mayor.
Ils députèrent Ils députèrent un ministre. They appointed a minister.
Elles députèrent Elles députèrent une députée. They (feminine) appointed a female representative.

Other Conjugations for Députer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb députer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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