French Grammar in Context

Examples in the text: pris(line 1), surprit(line 3), mit(line 4), fit(line 4), tendit(line 6), dis

(line 14), descendîmes(line 17), dit(line 21).

There are a number of exceptions to this conjugation, notably venirand tenir(see 2cbelow,

Discover more about the past historic). In the singular of regular -irverbs and dire, the past

historic is identical in form to the present. S’asseoiris an exception and is conjugated as an -ir

verb. Example in the text: s’assit(line 22).

c uendings: See Discover more about the past historic, 2, below.

Other points to note in the text

• Negatives and: pas de... ni de(lines 3–4) (see Chapters 8 and 13)


• sans+ infinitive: sans parler(line 4) (see Chapter 28)


• pouvoir+ infinitive: nous pûmes avancer(line 11) (see Chapter 24)


• avoir(or être) + past participle: après avoir traversé(line 18) = having crossed
  (see Chapter 22)


• Pronominal verbs: nous nous retrouvâmes(line 9); nous nous faufilâmes(line 21); s’assit(line
  22) (see Chapter 20)

Discover more about the past historic

1 USAGE

a The tuand vousforms of the past historic are extremely rare. This is to be expected, as tuand

vousare used in direct communication when the passé composéis normally used.

b The past historic is not normally used in (i) spoken language, (ii) letters or diaries, (iii) business

language, or (iv) newspapers, although more highbrow newspapers such as Le Mondedo use it.

It can also be found in popular accounts of incidents, car crashes, etc., where dramatic effect is

sought.

2 FORMATION

a uendings.

je pus

tu pus

il/elle put

nous pûmes

vous pûtes

ils/elles purent

The past participle often gives a clue as to the formation of an irregular past historic, e.g. lu/je lus;

pu/je pus. However, there are exceptions, e.g. vu/je vis.

22 French Grammar in Context