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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb fixer

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The English translation of the French verb “fixer” is “to fix” or “to set”. The infinitive form “fixer” is pronounced as [feek-sey].

The verb “fixer” originated from the Latin word “fixus,” which means “fixed” or “fastened”. In everyday French, “fixer” is commonly used in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense to describe completed actions in the past. However, it is important to note that the Passé Simple tense is mostly used in written French and formal speech, and its usage in everyday spoken French is quite rare.

Here are three simple examples of “fixer” used in the Passé Simple tense:

  1. J’arrivai chez lui et je fixai le tableau au mur.
    (I arrived at his place and I hung the painting on the wall.)

  2. Elle fixa son regard sur moi et sourit.
    (She fixed her gaze on me and smiled.)

  3. Il fixa la date de la réunion et informa tout le monde.
    (He set the date for the meeting and informed everyone.)

English translations:

  1. I arrived at his place and I hung the painting on the wall.
  2. She fixed her gaze on me and smiled.
  3. He set the date for the meeting and informed everyone.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je fixai J’ai fixai les étagères. I fixed the shelves.
Tu fixas Tu fixas le tableau. You fixed the painting.
Il fixa Il fixa son regard. He fixed his gaze.
Elle fixa Elle fixa la télévision. She fixed the television.
On fixa On fixa la date du rendez-vous. One fixed the date of the appointment.
Nous fixâmes Nous fixâmes les règles. We fixed the rules.
Vous fixâtes Vous fixâtes le problème. You fixed the problem.
Ils fixèrent Ils fixèrent le moteur. They fixed the engine.
Elles fixèrent Elles fixèrent les chaises. They (feminine) fixed the chairs.

Other Conjugations for Fixer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb fixer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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