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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb façonner

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of façonner. 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 “façonner” is “to shape” or “to mold.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “façonner” is “fah-sohn-ay.”

The verb “façonner” comes from the Old French word “façon,” meaning “shape” or “manner.” It is derived from the Latin word “factio,” which means “making” or “a making.” In everyday French, “façonner” is most often used in the Passé Simple tense when speaking or writing formally, as it has largely been replaced by the Passé Composé tense in modern spoken French.

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

  1. J’appris à façonner l’argile pendant mon enfance.
    (I learned to shape clay during my childhood.)

  2. Elle façonna un vase magnifique avec ses mains habiles.
    (She shaped a magnificent vase with her skillful hands.)

  3. Ils façonèrent les pièces de bois pour construire un meuble unique.
    (They shaped the pieces of wood to build a unique piece of furniture.)

Please note that while the Passé Simple tense is commonly used in literature, it is not frequently used in everyday spoken French. The examples provided are for illustrative purposes and may not reflect typical usage in modern conversation.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je façonnai J’ai façonné une sculpture en argile. I shaped a sculpture out of clay.
Tu façonnas Tu façonnas une bague en or. You shaped a ring out of gold.
Il façonna Il façonna un vase en céramique. He shaped a ceramic vase.
Elle façonna Elle façonna une robe sur mesure. She shaped a custom-made dress.
On façonna On façonna une maquette en papier. One shaped a paper model.
Nous façonnâmes Nous façonnâmes un meuble en bois. We shaped a wooden furniture.
Vous façonnâtes Vous façonnâtes une sculpture en marbre. You shaped a marble sculpture.
Ils façonnèrent Ils façonnèrent des outils en métal. They shaped metal tools.
Elles façonnèrent Elles façonnèrent des bijoux en argent. They (feminine) shaped silver jewelry.

Other Conjugations for Façonner.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb façonner

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 façonner Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply