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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb filer

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The English translation of the French verb “filer” is “to spin/to weave/to slide/to sneak away/to file”. The infinitive form of “filer” is pronounced as [fi.le].

The word “filer” has its origins from the Latin word “filare,” meaning “to spin.” In everyday French, “filer” is commonly used in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense to describe actions that occurred in the past, particularly in written or formal contexts.

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

  1. Il fila dans la rue en évitant les voitures.
    (He slipped through the street, avoiding the cars.)

  2. Elle fila rapidement vers la sortie sans se faire remarquer.
    (She quickly snuck away towards the exit without being noticed.)

  3. Ils filèrent le long du sentier et disparurent dans les bois.
    (They slid along the path and disappeared into the woods.)

Note: The Passé Simple tense is mainly used in written French, such as literature or formal writing, and is less commonly used in spoken language.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je filai Je filai à toute vitesse. I sped away.
Tu filas Tu filas discrètement. You slipped away quietly.
Il fila Il fila sans se faire remarquer. He left without being noticed.
Elle fila Elle fila à travers la foule. She weaved through the crowd.
On fila On fila avant qu’il ne soit trop tard. One left before it was too late.
Nous filâmes Nous filâmes vers la sortie. We hurried towards the exit.
Vous filâtes Vous filâtes à travers les ruelles. You hurried through the alleys.
Ils filèrent Ils filèrent sans dire un mot. They left without saying a word.
Elles filèrent Elles filèrent rapidement. They (feminine) left quickly.

Other Conjugations for Filer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb filer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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