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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb grenailler

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of grenailler. 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 “grenailler” is “to hail” or “to pelt with hail.” The infinitive form, “grenailler,” is pronounced as “gre-nah-yay.”

The word “grenailler” comes from the noun “grêle,” meaning “hail.” It is considered a derived verb, formed by adding the suffix “-ailler” to the noun “grêle.” In everyday French, the verb “grenailler” is most often used in the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense to describe past actions or events, particularly those related to hail.

Here are three simple examples of “grenailler” in the Passé Simple tense with their English translations:

  1. Il grenailla toute la nuit.
    (He hailed all night.)

  2. La grêle grenailla violemment sur les toits.
    (The hail pelted violently on the roofs.)

  3. Les champs furent grenaillés, causant des dommages aux cultures.
    (The fields were hailed, causing damage to the crops.)

Note: The Passé Simple tense is primarily used in written French, specifically in literature and formal writing, 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 grenailler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je grenaillai Je grenaillai tout l’après-midi. I hailed all afternoon.
Tu grenaillas Tu grenaillas contre le vent. You hailed against the wind.
Il grenailla Il grenailla sur les toits. He hailed on the roofs.
Elle grenailla Elle grenailla sur les voitures. She hailed on the cars.
On grenailla On grenailla sans relâche. One hailed non-stop.
Nous grenaillâmes Nous grenaillâmes sur la route. We hailed on the road.
Vous grenaillâtes Vous grenaillâtes sur les arbres. You hailed on the trees.
Ils grenaillèrent Ils grenaillèrent sur le sol. They hailed on the ground.
Elles grenaillèrent Elles grenaillèrent sur les plantes. They (feminine) hailed on the plants.

Other Conjugations for Grenailler.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb grenailler

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 grenailler Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply