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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dissimuler

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The English translation of the French verb “dissimuler” is “to conceal” or “to hide.” The infinitive form “dissimuler” is pronounced as “dee-see-moo-lay.”

The word “dissimuler” comes from the Latin word “dissimulare,” meaning “to disguise” or “to conceal.” In everyday French, the verb is commonly used in the Passé Simple tense, which is mainly found in formal or written contexts.

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

  1. Il dissimula sa tristesse. (He concealed his sadness.)
  2. Elle dissimula sa colère. (She hid her anger.)
  3. Ils dissimulèrent leur surprise. (They concealed their surprise.)

These examples demonstrate how “dissimuler” is used to express actions of concealing or hiding emotions, feelings, or reactions in the past.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je dissimulai J’ai dissimulé mes sentiments. I concealed my feelings.
Tu dissimulas Tu dissimulas ta surprise. You concealed your surprise.
Il dissimula Il dissimula la vérité. He concealed the truth.
Elle dissimula Elle dissimula son sourire. She concealed her smile.
On dissimula On dissimula son identité. One concealed their identity.
Nous dissimulâmes Nous dissimulâmes nos intentions. We concealed our intentions.
Vous dissimulâtes Vous dissimulâtes vos émotions. You concealed your emotions.
Ils dissimulèrent Ils dissimulèrent leurs intentions. They concealed their intentions.
Elles dissimulèrent Elles dissimulèrent leur peur. They (feminine) concealed their fear.

Other Conjugations for Dissimuler.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dissimuler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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