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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb guillocher

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The English translation of the French verb guillocher is “to engine-turn” or “to guilloche.” The infinitive form of guillocher is pronounced as “gee-yoh-shay.”

The word guillocher comes from the Old French term “guilloche,” which refers to an ornamental pattern created by interlacing curved lines. It is derived from the Italian word “ghiriglio,” meaning “whirligig” or “twist.” In everyday French, guillocher is most often used in its noun form “guillochage,” which refers to the process of engraving delicate and intricate patterns on metal or other materials.

In the Passé Simple tense, which is mainly used in written or formal language, guillocher follows regular conjugation patterns for -er verbs. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Passé Simple tense:

  1. J’guillochai les bijoux finement. (I engine-turned the jewelry delicately.)
  2. Tu guillochas le boîtier de la montre. (You engine-turned the watch case.)
  3. Il guillocha les pièces de monnaie à la main. (He engine-turned the coins by hand.)

Note: The translations provided are literal and may not capture the full meaning or context of the sentences.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je guillochai J’ai guilloché le motif. I engraved the pattern.
Tu guillochas Tu guillochas la pièce. You engraved the coin.
Il guillocha Il guillocha le papier. He engraved the paper.
Elle guillocha Elle guillocha la boîte. She engraved the box.
On guillocha On guillocha le bijou. One engraved the jewel.
Nous guillochâmes Nous guillochâmes le cadre. We engraved the frame.
Vous guillochâtes Vous guillochâtes la montre. You engraved the watch.
Ils guillochèrent Ils guillochèrent l’objet. They engraved the object.
Elles guillochèrent Elles guillochèrent la surface. They (feminine) engraved the surface.

Other Conjugations for Guillocher.

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

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb guillocher

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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