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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb gironner

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of gironner. 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 “gironner” is “to circle” or “to fly around in circles.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “gironner” is [ʒi.ʁɔ.ne].

The word “gironner” originates from the Old French term “giron” which means “circle” or “lap.” It is mostly used in everyday French to express the action of something or someone moving in circles or flying around in a circular motion. In the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense, gironner is less commonly used in contemporary spoken French, as it is mainly reserved for formal writing or literature.

Here are three examples of its usage in the Passé Simple tense:

  1. Les oiseaux gironnèrent au-dessus du lac. (The birds circled above the lake.)
  2. L’avion gironna autour de la ville avant d’atterrir. (The plane circled around the city before landing.)
  3. Les feuilles mortes gironnèrent dans le vent. (The dead leaves whirled in the wind.)

These examples demonstrate the use of “gironner” in the Simple Past tense to describe the circular movement of birds, planes, and leaves in the past.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je gironnai J’ai gironnai dans le parc. I wandered in the park.
Tu gironnas Tu as gironnas dans la ville. You wandered in the city.
Il gironna Il a gironna dans la forêt. He wandered in the forest.
Elle gironna Elle a gironna dans le quartier. She wandered in the neighborhood.
On gironna On a gironna dans le jardin. One wandered in the garden.
Nous gironnâmes Nous avons gironnâmes dans les rues. We wandered in the streets.
Vous gironnâtes Vous avez gironnâtes en montagne. You wandered in the mountains.
Ils gironnèrent Ils ont gironnèrent dans le désert. They wandered in the desert.
Elles gironnèrent Elles ont gironnèrent sur la plage. They (feminine) wandered on the beach.

Other Conjugations for Gironner.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb gironner

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 gironner Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply