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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb figer

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The English translation of the French verb “figer” is “to freeze” or “to solidify.” The infinitive form “figer” is pronounced as [fi.ʒe].

“Figer” comes from the Latin word “figurare,” meaning “to shape” or “to mold.” In everyday French, “figer” is commonly used in the Passé Simple tense to describe actions or events that occurred in the past, particularly in written or formal contexts.

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

  1. Je figeai devant cette scène étonnante.
    (I froze in front of this astonishing scene.)
  2. Les températures chutèrent et l’eau figea.
    (The temperatures dropped, and the water froze.)
  3. L’artiste figea son expression dans un tableau magnifique.
    (The artist captured his expression in a magnificent painting.)

These examples demonstrate the usage of “figer” in the Passé Simple tense, where it indicates specific past actions or events that occurred and were completed.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je figeai J’ai figé la glace. I froze the ice.
Tu figeas Tu figeas de peur. You froze with fear.
Il figea Il figea le temps. He froze time.
Elle figea Elle figea les aliments. She froze the food.
On figea On figea la situation. One froze the situation.
Nous figeâmes Nous figeâmes les mouvements. We froze the movements.
Vous figeâtes Vous figeâtes le lait. You froze the milk.
Ils figèrent Ils figèrent le sourire. They froze the smile.
Elles figèrent Elles figèrent le paysage. They (feminine) froze the landscape.

Other Conjugations for Figer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb figer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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