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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb glisser

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The English translation of the French verb “glisser” is “to slide” or “to glide.” The infinitive form “glisser” is pronounced as [glee-sey].

The verb “glisser” originated from the Latin word “gliscere,” which means “to slip.” In everyday French, it is often used in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense, which expresses completed actions in the past. However, it is important to note that the Passé Simple tense is mainly used in written French, particularly in formal or literary contexts, and is much less common in spoken French.

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

  1. Il glissa sur la glace et tomba. (He slid on the ice and fell.)
  2. Elle glissa un mot à son ami avant de partir. (She slipped a word to her friend before leaving.)
  3. Nous glissâmes discrètement hors de la pièce. (We slipped discreetly out of the room.)

Please note that while the Passé Simple translations provided here are in the simple past tense, in actual English usage, other past tenses such as the past continuous or past perfect may be more appropriate depending on the context.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je glissai Je glissai sur la glace. I slipped on the ice.
Tu glissas Tu glissas sur le toboggan. You slid on the slide.
Il glissa Il glissa sur la piste. He slid on the slope.
Elle glissa Elle glissa sur le tapis. She slid on the carpet.
On glissa On glissa sur la planche. One slid on the board.
Nous glissâmes Nous glissâmes sur la neige. We slid on the snow.
Vous glissâtes Vous glissâtes sur la rampe. You slid on the railing.
Ils glissèrent Ils glissèrent sur le sol mouillé. They slid on the wet floor.
Elles glissèrent Elles glissèrent sur la patinoire. They (feminine) slid on the ice rink.

Other Conjugations for Glisser.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb glisser

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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