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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb fricasser

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of fricasser. 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 “fricasser” is “to fricassee.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “fricasser” in French is [fʁi.ka.se].

The word “fricasser” originates from the Middle French word “frecasser,” which was derived from “casse,” meaning “to break.” In everyday French, the verb “fricasser” is used to describe a cooking technique where meat is first browned in fat and then simmered in a sauce. It is often used to prepare dishes such as fricassée de volaille (chicken fricassee) or fricassée de veau (veal fricassee).

In the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense, “fricasser” conjugates as follows:

  • Je fricassai (I fricasseed)
  • Tu fricassas (You fricasseed)
  • Il/elle/on fricassa (He/she/one fricasseed)

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

  1. Elle fricassa du poulet pour le dîner.
    (She fricasseed some chicken for dinner.)

  2. Nous fricassâmes des légumes avec de l’huile d’olive.
    (We fricasseed vegetables with olive oil.)

  3. Ils fricassèrent les fruits de mer dans une sauce crémeuse.
    (They fricasseed the seafood in a creamy sauce.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je fricassai Je fricassai le poulet. I fricasseed the chicken.
Tu fricassas Tu fricassas les légumes. You fricasseed the vegetables.
Il fricassa Il fricassa la viande. He fricasseed the meat.
Elle fricassa Elle fricassa le lapin. She fricasseed the rabbit.
On fricassa On fricassa les crevettes. One fricasseed the shrimps.
Nous fricassâmes Nous fricassâmes les œufs. We fricasseed the eggs.
Vous fricassâtes Vous fricassâtes le poisson. You fricasseed the fish.
Ils fricassèrent Ils fricassèrent les fruits de mer. They fricasseed the seafood.
Elles fricassèrent Elles fricassèrent les pommes de terre. They (feminine) fricasseed the potatoes.

Other Conjugations for Fricasser.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb fricasser

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 fricasser Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply