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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb gouailler

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The English translation of the French verb “gouailler” is “to taunt” or “to jeer.” The infinitive form of “gouailler” is pronounced as “goo-aye-yay.”

“Gouailler” has its origin in the old French word “gaillier,” which meant “to mock” or “to ridicule.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense when recounting past events or actions that are completed. However, it is worth noting that the Passé Simple tense is mainly used in formal writing and literature rather than in spoken French.

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

  1. Les élèves se gouaillèrent mutuellement pendant la récréation.
    (The students taunted each other during recess.)

  2. Il se gouailla de mes erreurs en public.
    (He jeered at my mistakes in public.)

  3. Les supporters adverses nous ont gouaillés tout au long du match.
    (The opposing fans taunted us throughout the match.)

Please note that while these examples illustrate the usage of “gouailler” in the Passé Simple tense, it is more commonly used in the present tense or other compound tenses in everyday spoken French.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je gouaillai Je gouaillai avec mes amis. I bantered with my friends.
Tu gouaillas Tu gouaillas sans relâche. You bantered relentlessly.
Il gouailla Il gouailla sur sa défaite. He bantered about his defeat.
Elle gouailla Elle gouailla sur son ex. She bantered about her ex.
On gouailla On gouailla toute la soirée. One bantered all evening.
Nous gouaillâmes Nous gouaillâmes en choeur. We bantered in unison.
Vous gouaillâtes Vous gouaillâtes avec humour. You bantered with humor.
Ils gouaillèrent Ils gouaillèrent entre eux. They bantered with each other.
Elles gouaillèrent Elles gouaillèrent sans retenue. They (feminine) bantered unabashedly.

Other Conjugations for Gouailler.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb gouailler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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