le passé simple in French
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The passé simple (English: Literary past tense) is utilized in rather literary contexts. It's mainly used to speak about a completed action in the past which has no relation to the present tense.
It expresses a completed action of the past, most often a brief action
The forms of the passé simple can be formed with the following endings:
verbs ending in -er (1st group) | ai -as -a -âmes -âtes -èrent |
---|---|
verbs ending in -ir (2nd group) | -is -is -it -îmes -îtes -irent |
irregular verbs (3rd group) | -is -is -it -îmes -îtes -irent -us -us -ut -ûmes -ûtes - urent -ins, -ins, -int, înmes, întes, înrent |
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The passé simple for regular forms are the same for all verbs groups. They are composed of the stem of the verbs in which you add the endings:
1st group Aimer (to like) | 2nd group Finir (to finish) |
---|---|
J'aimai | Je finis |
Tu aimas | Tu finis |
Il/elle/ on aima | Il/elle/on finit |
Nous aimâmes | Nous finîmes |
Vous aimâtes | Vous finîtes |
Ils aimèrent | Ils/elles finirent |
They are many verbs that make the litterary past tense irregular: the auxiliary verbs 'être' and 'avoir' and verbs of the 3rd group. They differ from the remaining irregular verbs by their stem
Avoir (to have) | Être (to be) |
---|---|
J'eus | Je fus |
Tu eus | Tu fus |
Il/elle/ on eut | il/elle/on fut |
Nous eûmes | Nous fûmes |
Vous eûtes | Vous fûtes |
Ils/elles eurent | Ils/elles furent |
You use the passe simple avoir or être to conjugate the Past anterior
The litterary past tense has three types of endings for the irregular verbs:
Prendre (to take) | Croire (to believe) | Venir (to come) |
---|---|---|
Je pris | Je crus | Je vins |
Tu pris | Tu crus | Tu vins |
Il/elle/on prit | Il/elle/on crut | Il/elle/on vint |
Nous prîmes | Nous crûmes | Nous vînmes |
Vous prîtes | Vous crûtes | Vous vîntes |
Ils prirent | Ils/elles crurent | Ils/elles vinrent |
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the passé simple of the indicated verb in bold. Do not forget the umlet for plural pronouns.
Bonne chance !
Example: Elle attendit sa mère. (attendre)
1. Christophe Colomb le Nouveau Monde. (découvrir)
(Christophe Colomb discovered the New World)
2. Tu la salle. (embellir)
(You enlighted the room)
3. Tu tes amies. (défendre)
(You defended your friends)
4. J' les acteurs. (applaudir)
(I applauded the actors)
5. Je tout de suite. (partir)
(I left as soon as possible)
6. Nous le fil. (perdre)
(We lost contact)
7. Nous la lecture. (finir)
(We finished the reading)
8. Ils à l'examen. (réussir)
(They suceeded to the exam)
9. Vous des fleurs. (vendre)
(You sold flowers)
10. Elles aux questions. (répondre)
(They answered to the question)
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the passé simple of the indicated verb in bold. Do not forget the umlet for plural pronouns.
Bonne chance !
Example: Elle attendit sa mère. (attendre)
1. Christophe Colomb le Nouveau Monde. (découvrir)
(Christophe Colomb discovered the New World)
2. Tu la salle. (embellir)
(You enlighted the room)
3. Tu tes amies. (défendre)
(You defended your friends)
4. J' les acteurs. (applaudir)
(I applauded the actors)
5. Je tout de suite. (partir)
(I left as soon as possible)
6. Nous le fil. (perdre)
(We lost contact)
7. Nous la lecture. (finir)
(We finished the reading)
8. Ils à l'examen. (réussir)
(They suceeded to the exam)
9. Vous des fleurs. (vendre)
(You sold flowers)
10. Elles aux questions. (répondre)
(They answered to the question)
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Hello, my name is Claus !For many years I teach students from all over the world as a professional teacher of the German language. With a lot of experience and patience I lead my students to their to teach successfully and with fun. I offer you general language courses of B1- C2 with test preparations, as well as courses in Business German (prerequisites are language proficiency in German from level B1 +!).
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Thanks for your support. I learned a lot from you and my last German test went very well. I will be happy to contact you again if I need your help again. With kind regards
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Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
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Great teacher who makes learning language fun. Also good at making you comfortable to speak the language already in the very beginning.
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Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
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She is kind. She listen to me and tries to adapt the course to my expectations. She has all the books to prepare The DELF and DALF Exam which she offers for free to the student.
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Do you want to learn Spanish with a kind and patient teacher? Someone to help you gain confidence and practice the language with topics according to your level and needs? In addition to that ... Do you want to get a study material and corrections? Well, I'm the right teacher for you . My name is Andrea and I'm from South America - Ecuador. I am a full-time Spanish teacher and I have a variety of resources to help you learn Spanish online.
I am currently studying French and I know how beneficial and fun it is to learn with a friendly and patient teacher who teaches you and helps you speak the language with confidence.
If you want to know a little more about me, I invite you to watch this video about reserving a hotel room.
https://youtu.be/d7F7mxOfKmA
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Andrea is a delightful and brilliant teacher. She has been teaching Spanish since 2018 and her study method is based on the student's level and the goals they want to achieve. In her you will find a prepared, experienced and friendly person. She relies on several books for teaching Spanish and her lessons are creative, very innovative and super interactive. With her you will never be bored.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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I want to help people to improve the level of their chosen language.
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I can’t recommend Nancy highly enough. She’s a great teacher. Very patient, flexible and personable.
Nancy C.
thanks for this Anne-Sophie. It is great to have you as a student.
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1 - If you are looking for a well-structured French program to take you from a beginner level to advanced level to be able to travel to France, i have developed with success my own program which includes 70 worksheets from basic to advance level.
2 - If you are thinking taking any DELF exam, I can help you as I have experience in this field (3 years with Ensemble en Francais - online school).
3 - If you are a VCE French student, I definitively will be able to boost your skills to do well at the exam due to my experience as VCE French teacher and also as a VCE assessor.
4 - Finally I have also an extensive experience in teaching French at the primary and middle school level
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Francois is teaching our daughter in French at the moment. She is a total beginner and they started from scratch. Both work for one hour daily and agree on homework which is being checked in the next lesson. The lesson via Skype is working well with the exchange of material Skype as well. We can definitely see progress.
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Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
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Natalia will be really interested in you as a person, what your goals are, and motivation for you to learn the language. I liked how she was answering all my questions, were patient and positive on our lesson.
Natalia L.
Toma, your interest for the language and having learned other languages before will be very helpful for you, continue with your motivation for learning French!
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Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
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She is a very nice person and a great teacher. She is able to make you learn grammar while speaking and writing. I think that's amazing to find a teacher like her because learning becomes funny and seems to be easy. I hope to learn french as well as she speaks it. I found a teacher and at the same time a friend who lives far form me,that speaks another language and that I couldn't have found in any other way. I absolutely recommend her!
Natalia L.
Irene is a great student, I have seen her French improving very fast. She is able to speak about many different topics and give her opinion in a very detailed way. We are working in improving her writing skills and I see how she is doing better and better very quickly. Congratulations for all your work Irene!
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Carlos is an excellent, professional and experienced Spanish teacher. His method is made up of theory and exercises, he uses school documents and is prepared for all levels of Spanish. Highly recommended.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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My name is Ma. Teresa Tabasa Garcia. I was born and raised in the Philippines. I am a Native Tagalog Speaker and English is my second language. I graduated from Central Luzon State University with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Garment Technology and I took an additional units in Education and units in Graduate Studies at CORE Gateway College. I had been a College Instructor and Trainer in Cookery in one of the Colleges in our place.
As a teacher I am patient, friendly and flexible. I can teach students at all levels and all ages.
I use a combination of methods and tools in learning namely: conversation techniques, storytelling, reading text books, PDFs, audio and video recordings. You will learn the different sentence pattern, grammar, pronunciation and intonation, you may include your topic of interest as well. I use drills and exercises to track your learning progress. I will make sure that you will learn something new at the end of every lesson.
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Teresa is a delightful and bright teacher. She has previously worked as a teacher at the school board and as a teacher for young mothers. Her study method is based on the level of the students and the goals they want to achieve.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Ma.Teresa G.
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Thank you sir Giacomo, thank you for the good feedback. You're such an awesome and kind interviewer. I am happy to work with you in coLanguage. God bless.
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Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
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Tiska is giving a great support to my 8 years daughter in this challenging period! We scheduled regularly lessons to improve her French language skill and to review grammars rules in a funny enjoyfull way. Super professional and very kind teacher!
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Hello there. I am Ivan and I teach German, French and English online with great success for over 7 years. My teaching technics suit to all kind of interests and goals: personal as well as professional.
I have studied, worked and lived in the French and in the German part of Switzerland, supporting customers from different ages and countries around the world. I am currently working for two online-schools (in the UK and in China).
Additionally, teaching is my passion which makes me not only a passionated and hard-working teacher but also a flexible, dynamic and compassionate person.
Please contact me for more information and a first meeting free of charge.
Looking forward to meet you soon.
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Ivan is an excellent teacher. He adapts lessons to your needs and wishes and makes learning with him fun and enjoyable by finding material which interests you or that you might find interesting even if you didn’t know it yourself before! I have had 25 lessons with him now and my progress has been much quicker than any method, or course I have taken before. I can’t rate him highly enough! He is very punctual and is very quick to respond if I have any questions. Thank you Ivan!
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Hi!
My name is Krisztina! I’m a teacher of German and French with the corresponding qualifications. I've grown up in a bilingual family (Hungarian-German), so I speak both languages as a native language. I’ve been teaching for six years, so I’m able to estimate your needs, and to meet them. In my lessons, I recreat real life situations, so that you will be able to adapt yourselves to different circumstances. I’m a patient, positive and creative person, who is looking forward to see you in her lessons. So don’t hesitate to book a lesson with me.
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I am very satisfied with my new teacher. Looks like I'm going to get French soon! Looking forward to each lesson. Krisztina knows many languages, which allows her to understand pronunciation difficulties and to remain patient. Hope to pass C1 one day!
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Hi
I am Kelly, i teach frenhc in Switzerland and online. I've experience since many years.
I can help you for DELF/ DALF, pass an exam, or for professional goals.
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Kelly is always on time, patient and friendly. She answers all my questions about the French language and culture. She is a good teacher and I recommend her. Kelly is always on time, is patient, and friendly. She answers all my questions about the French language and culture. She's a great teacher and I recommend her.
Kelly P.
Thanks Jo. I am also very happy to have you as a student.
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WHAT I OFFER:
Online French as a second language (FSL) courses for all levels, preparation for official exams (DELF, DALF, TCF), correction of academic work, translations, preparation for job interviews or public speeches. I also teach Spanish, as I speak it fluently and know about teaching techniques.
MY METHODOLOGY:
I focus on the student, my priority. First I find out what they know, and what their objectives and motivations are. Next, we define together a way forward. Thus, my classes are customized, and based on every student’s needs.
I make sure the learning atmosphere is mellow and agreeable, but never forget that my aim is the student’s improvement. Enjoyment contributes to progress, but some discipline is also necessary. I am used to balancing these two needs.
WHO I AM:
Having taught FSL full-time for 15 years and obtained the DAEFLE (Diploma of Aptitude in Teaching French as a Foreign Language) from the Alliance Française Paris allows me to balance the two elements a good teacher needs: experience and theory. I have worked with people of all levels, from beginners to very advanced, and all ages, from 6 to 86 years old. I also have a great deal of experience in the DELF/DALF tests preparation, with over 90% of success.
I have known for a long time that teaching was my vocation. I like sharing knowledge with others, helping them improve, and feeling that at the end of the day they know more than before. Loving my job and feeling useful is what motivates me to get up every day with a smile.
After a science baccalaureate, I studied audiovisual communication, because I have always been fond of transmitting information. However, I quickly realized I needed a more direct form of contact. During a trip to South America, I started teaching private classes, and immediately understood that was the path I had to follow.
WHY I AM A GOOD TEACHER:
Extensive experience allows me to go fast with quick learners, and to be extremely patient with those who need more time. I have learnt that there isn’t just one way of teaching something, and that some people have a preference for auditory, visual or action-oriented learning. As a private teacher, my priority is to listen to my student in order to adapt my methods to their needs.
Not only do I teach languages, I also provide my students with tools for self-teaching and making progress between classes, allowing them to maximize their investment. I regularly research the latest teaching tools, the evolution of teaching methods, and the neuropsychological findings in that area. This is a surprisingly vast topic.
MY CREDENTIALS:
You will find on my LinkedIn page many letters of recommendation from my students.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoit-cassagnau-2b2179176/
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Benoît is an exceptional instructor. I am so pleased I found him. He is professional, always prepared for class, and always patient. He never fails to correct my pronunciation, grammar and writing in French - yet, in a kind manner. His expertise and knowledge in ways to help improve my French are worth far more than the investment I have made. He goes above and beyond to make each class count. Benoît is the best French instructor I've ever had!
Benoit C.
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Sari is an involved, responsible and hardworking student. With already an advanced level, its learning curve is very good. A pleasure to work with her.
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Hello, my name is Claus !For many years I teach students from all over the world as a professional teacher of the German language. With a lot of experience and patience I lead my students to their to teach successfully and with fun. I offer you general language courses of B1- C2 with test preparations, as well as courses in Business German (prerequisites are language proficiency in German from level B1 +!).
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Thanks for your support. I learned a lot from you and my last German test went very well. I will be happy to contact you again if I need your help again. With kind regards
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Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
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Great teacher who makes learning language fun. Also good at making you comfortable to speak the language already in the very beginning.
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Training is my passion. I like interacting with people. I am passionate about reading, watching movies, and music. I love to explore new places and have keen interest in arts and literature.I love meeting new people because every person is a whole new world you can learn from. I am also a keen reader and an enthusiastic traveller.
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She is kind. She listen to me and tries to adapt the course to my expectations. She has all the books to prepare The DELF and DALF Exam which she offers for free to the student.
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Do you want to learn Spanish with a kind and patient teacher? Someone to help you gain confidence and practice the language with topics according to your level and needs? In addition to that ... Do you want to get a study material and corrections? Well, I'm the right teacher for you . My name is Andrea and I'm from South America - Ecuador. I am a full-time Spanish teacher and I have a variety of resources to help you learn Spanish online.
I am currently studying French and I know how beneficial and fun it is to learn with a friendly and patient teacher who teaches you and helps you speak the language with confidence.
If you want to know a little more about me, I invite you to watch this video about reserving a hotel room.
https://youtu.be/d7F7mxOfKmA
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Andrea is a delightful and brilliant teacher. She has been teaching Spanish since 2018 and her study method is based on the student's level and the goals they want to achieve. In her you will find a prepared, experienced and friendly person. She relies on several books for teaching Spanish and her lessons are creative, very innovative and super interactive. With her you will never be bored.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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