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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb goutter

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of goutter. 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 “goutter” is “to taste” or “to try.” The infinitive form of “goutter” is pronounced as “goo-tey.”

The verb “goutter” comes from the Latin word “gustare,” meaning “to taste.” In everyday French, “goutter” is commonly used in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense to describe actions that occurred in the past, usually in written narratives or formal situations.

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

  1. J’essayai de goutter le vin pour vérifier sa qualité.
    (I tasted the wine to check its quality.)

  2. Il goutta l’eau de source et la trouva très rafraîchissante.
    (He tried the spring water and found it very refreshing.)

  3. Nous gouttâmes les différents plats préparés par le chef.
    (We tried the various dishes prepared by the chef.)

Please note that the Passé Simple tense is mostly used in formal writing, literature, or historical contexts, while in spoken French, the Passé Composé tense is more commonly used to express past actions.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je goûtai Je goûtai le vin. I tasted the wine.
Tu goûtas Tu goûtas la soupe. You tasted the soup.
Il goûta Il goûta le dessert. He tasted the dessert.
Elle goûta Elle goûta le café. She tasted the coffee.
On goûta On goûta le plat. One tasted the dish.
Nous goûtâmes Nous goûtâmes la sauce. We tasted the sauce.
Vous goûtâtes Vous goûtâtes le fromage. You tasted the cheese.
Ils goûtèrent Ils goûtèrent le pain. They tasted the bread.
Elles goûtèrent Elles goûtèrent la glace. They (feminine) tasted the ice cream.

Other Conjugations for Goutter.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb goutter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 goutter Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply