Le passé simple – Free Exercise

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Exercise

Complete the sentences with the passé simple form of the verbs in brackets.

  1. Je (dormir)   pendant dix heures.1st person singular: remove the -ir ending and add is.I slept for ten hours.
  2. Ils se (réveiller)   à huit heures.3rd person plural: remove the -er ending and add èrent.They woke up at eight o’clock.
  3. Nous (sortir)   de la maison.1st person plural: remove the -ir ending and add îmes.We left the house.
  4. Vous (arriver)   en retard.2nd person plural: remove the -er ending and add âtes.You arrived late.
  5. Tu (répondre)   à la question.2nd person singular: remove the -re ending and add is.You answered the question.

Complete the sentences with the passé simple form of the verbs in brackets. Remember – some verbs do not follow the regular conjugation rules.

  1. Est-ce que vous (être)   surpris?Être is an irregular verb.|See the list of irregular verbs.Were you surprised?
  2. Ils (venir)   à midi.Venir is conjugated differently in the passé simple.|See the list of irregular verbs.They came at midday.
  3. Tu (voyager)   autour du monde.For verbs ending in -ger, add an e before the ending, except in the 3rd person plural.You travelled around the world.
  4. Nous (avoir)   soudain très faim.Avoir is an irregular verb.|See the list of irregular verbs.We were suddenly very hungry.
  5. Je (commencer)   un exercice.For verbs ending in -cer, we add a ç before the ending, except in the 3rd person plural.I started an exercise.

Complete the sentences using the passé simple form of the verbs in brackets. Remember – not all verbs follow the regular conjugation rules.

  1. Je (revoir)   un ami d'enfance hier.Revoir is an irregular verb.|See the list of irregular verbs.I saw a childhood friend again yesterday.
  2. Est-ce que vous (aller)   au restaurant?Aller is an irregular verb, but not in the passé simple.|2nd person plural: We remove the er-ending and add âtes.Did you go to the restaurant?
  3. Maxime se (souvenir)   de la recette.Se souvenir is conjugated differently in the passé simple.|See venir in the list of irregular verbs.Maxime remembered the recipe.
  4. Ils (avancer)   la date du rendez-vous.For verbs ending in -cer, add a ç except in the 3rd person plural.They moved the appointment forward.
  5. Nous (comprendre)   la phrase.Comprendre is an irregular verb.|See prendre in the list of irregular verbs.We understood the sentence.