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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb givrer

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The English translation of the French verb “givrer” is “to frost” or “to glaze.” The infinitive form “givrer” is pronounced as [ʒi.vʁe].

The word “givrer” derives from the noun “givre,” meaning “hoarfrost” or “frost.” It originated from the Latin word “gibber” meaning “hunchback.” In everyday French, “givrer” is often used in the Passé Simple tense to describe actions that occurred in the past, especially in written or formal contexts.

Here are three simple examples of the usage of “givrer” in the Passé Simple tense and their English translations:

  1. Hier matin, le sol givra après une nuit de gel.
    (Yesterday morning, the ground frosted after a night of freezing.)

  2. Les branches des arbres givrèrent sous l’effet du froid intense.
    (The tree branches frosted under the effect of the intense cold.)

  3. Les pare-brises des voitures givrèrent rapidement en raison des basses températures.
    (The car windshields quickly frosted due to the low temperatures.)

Note: The Passé Simple tense is mostly used in written or formal language, and in spoken French, the Passé Composé tense is more commonly employed to describe past actions.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je givrai Je givrai les vitres. I frosted the windows.
Tu givras Tu givras les cupcakes. You frosted the cupcakes.
Il givra Il givra les routes. He frosted the roads.
Elle givra Elle givra les arbres. She frosted the trees.
On givra On givra les trottoirs. One frosted the sidewalks.
Nous givrâmes Nous givrâmes les verres. We frosted the glasses.
Vous givrâtes Vous givrâtes le gâteau. You frosted the cake.
Ils givrèrent Ils givrèrent les fruits. They frosted the fruits.
Elles givrèrent Elles givrèrent les fenêtres. They (feminine) frosted the windows.

Other Conjugations for Givrer.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb givrer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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