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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb disjoncter

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The English translation of the French verb “disjoncter” is “to trip” or “to blow a fuse.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “disjoncter” is dee-zhawnk-teh.

“Disjoncter” originates from the combination of the prefix “dis-” (meaning “apart” or “away”) and the verb “joncter” (which itself comes from the Latin “iunctare,” meaning “to join”). The prefix “dis-” adds the meaning of separation or disruption to the verb, giving “disjoncter” the sense of an electrical circuit breaking or a sudden interruption.

In everyday French, the Passé Simple tense (Simple Past) is rarely used orally, as it has been mostly replaced by the Passé Composé tense. However, it is still encountered in formal written language, literature, and historical contexts.

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

  1. Le courant disjoncta pendant la tempête.
    (The power tripped during the storm.)

  2. Le système informatique disjoncta subitement.
    (The computer system tripped suddenly.)

  3. Les lumières disjonctèrent dans tout le quartier.
    (The lights blew a fuse in the entire neighborhood.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je disjonctai J’ai disjoncté hier soir. I tripped the circuit breaker last night.
Tu disjonctas Tu disjonctas pendant la tempête. You tripped during the storm.
Il disjoncta Il disjoncta l’appareil. He tripped the device.
Elle disjoncta Elle disjoncta l’électricité. She tripped the power.
On disjoncta On disjoncta le courant. One tripped the current.
Nous disjonctâmes Nous avons disjoncté le système. We tripped the system.
Vous disjonctâtes Vous avez disjoncté le compteur. You tripped the meter.
Ils disjonctèrent Ils disjonctèrent les fusibles. They tripped the fuses.
Elles disjonctèrent Elles disjonctèrent la ligne. They (feminine) tripped the line.

Other Conjugations for Disjoncter.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb disjoncter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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