The passé simple tells finished events in a story. It does the job of the passé composé, but only in writing. If you read French fiction, you will meet it on every page, usually in the third person (il, elle, ils, elles).
The essentials: The passé simple is the literary past tense: you read it in novels, fairy tales and history books but almost never hear it in speech. You need to recognize it, not to produce it. Endings: -ai, -as, -a, -âmes, -âtes, -èrent for -er verbs; -is, -is, -it, -îmes, -îtes, -irent for -ir and most -re verbs; -us, -us, -ut, -ûmes, -ûtes, -urent for many irregular verbs.
← French conjugation: all tenses and verbs
When is the passé simple used?
In spoken French and everyday writing (emails, messages, blogs), the passé composé replaces it. The passé simple stays in:
- novels and short stories: Il ouvrit la porte et entra. (He opened the door and went in.)
- history books and biographies: Napoléon fut couronné empereur en 1804. (Napoleon was crowned emperor in 1804.)
- fairy tales and legends: Il était une fois un roi qui eut trois fils. (Once upon a time there was a king who had three sons.)
- formal press and academic writing.
In a story, the passé simple narrates the main events (the plot) and the imparfait describes the background: Il pleuvait. Marie ouvrit sa fenêtre. (It was raining. Marie opened her window.)
How do you form the passé simple?
| Subject | -er verbs | -ir / -re verbs (and others in -i-) | Verbs in -u- (avoir, être, pouvoir…) |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | -ai | -is | -us |
| tu | -as | -is | -us |
| il / elle | -a | -it | -ut |
| nous | -âmes | -îmes | -ûmes |
| vous | -âtes | -îtes | -ûtes |
| ils / elles | -èrent | -irent | -urent |
| parler | finir | vendre | avoir |
|---|---|---|---|
| je parlai | je finis | je vendis | j’eus |
| tu parlas | tu finis | tu vendis | tu eus |
| il parla | il finit | il vendit | il eut |
| nous parlâmes | nous finîmes | nous vendîmes | nous eûmes |
| vous parlâtes | vous finîtes | vous vendîtes | vous eûtes |
| ils parlèrent | ils finirent | ils vendirent | ils eurent |
Irregular stems to recognize
Many irregular verbs build the passé simple on a stem that you will not guess from the infinitive. Learn to recognize the stem and you will understand most passages.
| Infinitive | Passé simple (il) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| être | il fut | was |
| avoir | il eut | had |
| faire | il fit | did, made |
| aller | il alla | went (regular -er endings) |
| venir | il vint | came |
| voir | il vit | saw |
| prendre | il prit | took |
| dire | il dit | said |
| pouvoir | il put | was able to |
| vouloir | il voulut | wanted |
| savoir | il sut | learned, found out |
| mettre | il mit | put |
How to recognize it in a text
- The third person is the most common: look for -a, -it, -ut and -èrent, -irent, -urent.
- Do not confuse il parla (passé simple) with il parle (present), or ils parlèrent with ils parlent: the accent and the -r- are the clues.
- For je, the passé simple of -ir verbs looks like the present (je finis). Only the context tells you which tense it is.
- The first person plural has a circumflex: nous parlâmes, nous finîmes.
Common mistakes English speakers make
- Using the passé simple in conversation or an email. It sounds stiff and strange. Say Il est arrivé hier, not Il arriva hier.
- Confusing it with the imparfait. Il mangea is a finished event; il mangeait is ongoing or habitual.
- Forgetting the cedilla and the extra e: il commença, il mangea (both before a).
- Thinking that irregular verbs are regular here: il prit, not il prena.
21 practice problems
Write your answers on paper first, then check them in the answer key below. Use the exact French forms, with accents.
Problem 1. Il ___ le matin dans la forêt. (marcher)
Problem 2. Elle ___ la lettre avec joie. (lire)
Problem 3. Nous ___ la ville à midi. (quitter)
Problem 4. Ils ___ un trésor dans la grotte. (trouver)
Problem 5. Je ___ le roman en une nuit. (finir)
Problem 6. Tu ___ la bonne réponse. (choisir)
Problem 7. Il ___ sa maison pour une grosse somme. (vendre)
Problem 8. Le soir, elle ___ peur. (avoir)
Problem 9. Ce ___ une journée inoubliable. (être)
Problem 10. Vous ___ un grand voyage. (faire)
Problem 11. Les chevaliers ___ à Paris. (aller)
Problem 12. Nous ___ le soleil se lever. (voir)
Problem 13. Elle ___ son manteau et sortit. (prendre)
Problem 14. Il ___ la vérité à tout le monde. (dire)
Problem 15. Ils ___ de Londres en 1850. (venir)
Problem 16. Je ___ la lettre sur la table. (mettre)
Problem 17. Vous ___ sauver le village. (pouvoir)
Problem 18. Il ___ commencer son discours. (vouloir)
Problem 19. Rewrite in the passé composé: Il ouvrit la porte.
Problem 20. Rewrite in the passé simple: Elle a pris le train.
Problem 21. Name the tense and the infinitive of ils arrivèrent.
Answer key
Show the answer key for problems 1 to 21
Problem 1. marcha
Problem 2. lut
Problem 3. quittâmes
Problem 4. trouvèrent
Problem 5. finis
Problem 6. choisis
Problem 7. vendit
Problem 8. eut
Problem 9. fut
Problem 10. fîtes
Problem 11. allèrent
Problem 12. vîmes
Problem 13. prit
Problem 14. dit
Problem 15. vinrent
Problem 16. mis
Problem 17. pûtes
Problem 18. voulut
Problem 19. Il a ouvert la porte.
Problem 20. Elle prit le train.
Problem 21. Passé simple of arriver
Quiz: 10 questions
One question at a time, with instant feedback and an explanation for each answer.