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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb fesser

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of fesser. 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 “fesser” is “to spank” or “to slap.” The infinitive form of “fesser” is pronounced as “feh-seh.”

The verb “fesser” derives from the Latin word “facere” (to make or to do) and is most often used in everyday French to describe the action of spanking or slapping someone, usually on the buttocks, as a form of punishment or during certain intimate activities.

In the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense, “fesser” is less commonly used in everyday French conversation. However, it is still important to understand it to fully grasp the French language. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je fessai mon fils pour son mauvais comportement.
    (I spanked my son for his bad behavior.)

  2. Elle fessa son amant par jeu.
    (She playfully slapped her lover.)

  3. Les parents fessèrent leur enfant désobéissant.
    (The parents spanked their disobedient child.)

Please note that while “fesser” is used in everyday French, it is a colloquial verb that may not be suitable for formal or polite situations.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je fessai Je fessai mon fils. I spanked my son.
Tu fessas Tu fessas le chien. You spanked the dog.
Il fessa Il fessa l’enfant. He spanked the child.
Elle fessa Elle fessa le chat. She spanked the cat.
On fessa On fessa le coupable. One spanked the culprit.
Nous fessâmes Nous fessâmes les élèves. We spanked the students.
Vous fessâtes Vous fessâtes le cheval. You spanked the horse.
Ils fessèrent Ils fessèrent les enfants. They spanked the children.
Elles fessèrent Elles fessèrent les chiens. They (feminine) spanked the dogs.

Other Conjugations for Fesser.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb fesser

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 fesser Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply