Francisez | Learn irregular -IR verb conjugations in the simple past tense of the indicative

Learn irregular -IR verb conjugations in the simple past tense of the indicative

Le passé simple (littéraire) de l'indicatif

Regular -IR pattern:

Drop the final ir from the infinitive form and use the following endings:

Je	-is
Tu	-is
Il	-it
Nous	-îmes
Vous	-îtes
Ils	-irent

	*[-us* endings]**	*[-ins* endings]**
Je	-us	-ins
Tu	-us	-ins
Il	-ut	-int
Nous	-ûmes	-înmes
Vous	-ûtes	-întes
Ils	-urent	-inrent

All verbs that take the -us endings have irregular stems except verbs that end in courir.
All verbs that take the -ins endings have irregular stems.

Example conjugation:

finir (to finish)
Je	finis
Tu	finis
Il	finit
Nous	finîmes
Vous	finîtes
Ils	finirent

	courir (to run)	venir (to come)
	*[-us* endings]**	*[-ins* endings]**
Je	courus	vins
Tu	courus	vins
Il	courut	vint
Nous	courûmes	vînmes
Vous	courûtes	vîntes
Ils	coururent	vinrent

All verbs that take the -us endings have irregular stems except verbs that end in courir.
All verbs that take the -ins endings have irregular stems.

Pattern legend:

	Person is regular
	Person is irregular
	Person cannot be conjugated
	Person has a new stem

VERB	NEW STEM
ACQUÉRIR [ -ÉRIR ]	acquér- > acqu- ▼
└ acquérir	acquér- > acqu-
└ conquérir	conquér- > conqu-
└ enquérir	enquér- > enqu-
└ reconquérir	reconquér- > reconqu-
└ requérir	requér- > requ- ▲
DÉCEVOIR [ -CEVOIR [-us endings] ]	décevo- > déç- ▼
└ apercevoir	apercevo- > aperç-
└ concevoir	concevo- > conç-
└ décevoir	décevo- > déç-
└ entr'apercevoir	entr'apercevo- > entr'aperç-
└ entrapercevoir	entrapercevo- > entraperç-
└ entre-apercevoir	entre-apercevo- > entre-aperç-
└ percevoir	percevo- > perç-
└ recevoir	recevo- > reç- ▲
TENIR [ -ENIR [-ins endings] ]	ten- > t- ▼
└ abstenir	absten- > abst-
└ appartenir	apparten- > appart-
└ circonvenir	circonven- > circonv-
└ contenir	conten- > cont-
└ contrevenir	contreven- > contrev-
└ convenir	conven- > conv-
└ devenir	deven- > dev-
└ disconvenir	disconven- > disconv-
└ détenir	déten- > dét-
└ entretenir	entreten- > entret-
└ intervenir	interven- > interv-
└ maintenir	mainten- > maint-
└ obtenir	obten- > obt-
└ obvenir	obven- > obv-
└ parvenir	parven- > parv-
└ provenir	proven- > prov-
└ prévenir	préven- > prév-
└ redevenir	redeven- > redev-
└ retenir	reten- > ret-
└ revenir	reven- > rev-
└ soutenir	souten- > sout-
└ souvenir	souven- > souv-
└ subvenir	subven- > subv-
└ survenir	surven- > surv-
└ tenir	ten- > t-
└ venir	ven- > v- ▲
ASSEOIR [ -EOIR ]	asseo- > ass- ▼
└ asseoir	asseo- > ass-
└ rasseoir	rasseo- > rass-
└ surseoir	surseo- > surs- ▲
VOIR [ -OIR ]	vo- > v- ▼
└ assoir	asso- > ass-
└ entrevoir	entrevo- > entrev-
└ prévoir	prévo- > prév-
└ rassoir	rasso- > rass-
└ revoir	revo- > rev-
└ sursoir	surso- > surs-
└ voir	vo- > v- ▲
VALOIR [ -OIR [-us endings] ]	valo- > val- ▼
└ choir	cho- > ch-
└ déchoir	décho- > déch-
└ pourvoir	pourvo- > pourv-
└ prévaloir	prévalo- > préval-
└ valoir	valo- > val-
└ vouloir	voulo- > voul-
└ équivaloir	équivalo- > équival- ▲
PROMOUVOIR [ -OUVOIR [-us endings] ]	promouvo- > prom- ▼
└ mouvoir	mouvo- > m-
└ pouvoir	pouvo- > p-
└ promouvoir	promouvo- > prom-
└ émouvoir	émouvo- > ém- ▲
COURIR [ -US [-us endings] ]	cour- > cour- ▼
└ accourir	accour- > accour-
└ concourir	concour- > concour-
└ courir	cour- > cour-
└ discourir	discour- > discour-
└ encourir	encour- > encour-
└ mourir	mour- > mour-
└ parcourir	parcour- > parcour-
└ recourir	recour- > recour-
└ secourir	secour- > secour- ▲

VERB	NEW STEM
AVOIR [ Irregular [-us endings] ]	avo- > e-
└ avoir	avo- > e-
DEVOIR [ Irregular [-us endings] ]	devo- > d-
└ devoir	devo- > d-
SAVOIR [ Irregular [-us endings] ]	savo- > s-
└ savoir	savo- > s-

VERB	NEW STEM
RAVOIR [ No conjugations ]	*No conjugation*
└ ravoir	*No conjugation*
ADVENIR [ -ENIR [-ins endings], only il ]	adven- > adv-
└ advenir	adven- > adv-
APPAROIR [ No conjugations ]	*No conjugation*
└ apparoir	*No conjugation*
CHALOIR [ No conjugations ]	*No conjugation*
└ chaloir	*No conjugation*
FALLOIR [ Only il, irreg. [for: il] [-us endings] ]	fallo- > fall-
└ falloir	fallo- > fall-
FÉRIR [ No conjugations ]	*No conjugation*
└ férir	*No conjugation*
GÉSIR [ No conjugations ]	*No conjugation*
└ gésir	*No conjugation*
PLEUVOIR [ Only il, irreg. [for: il] [-us endings] ]	pleuvo- > pl-
└ pleuvoir	pleuvo- > pl-
QUÉRIR [ No conjugations ]	*No conjugation*
└ quérir	*No conjugation*
SEOIR [ No conjugations ]	*No conjugation* ▼
└ messeoir	*No conjugation*
└ messoir	*No conjugation*
└ seoir	*No conjugation* ▲
ÉCHOIR [ -OIR [-us endings], only il, irreg. [for: il] ]	écho- > éch-
└ échoir	écho- > éch-

Page contents:

NEW PATTERNS

-ÉRIR

-CEVOIR [-us endings]

-ENIR [-ins endings]

-EOIR

-OIR

-OIR [-us endings]

-OUVOIR [-us endings]

-US [-us endings]

ORTHOGRAPHIC CHANGES

Remove i add ï

COMPLETELY IRREGULAR

avoir

savoir

devoir

CANCELED CONJUGATIONS

No conjugations

-ENIR [-ins endings], only il

-OIR [-us endings], only il, irreg. [for: il]

Only il, irreg. [for: il] [-us endings]

NEW PATTERNS

'-ÉRIR' PATTERN

Description:

Use the base stem 'acqu-' dropping the final '-érir' from the infinitive acquérir.

Endings' pattern:

Verbs:

ACQUÉRIR

to acquire

J'	acquéris > acquis
Tu	acquéris > acquis
Il	acquérit > acquit
Nous	acquérîmes > acquîmes
Vous	acquérîtes > acquîtes
Ils	acquérirent > acquirent

'-CEVOIR' PATTERN [-us endings]

Description:

Use the base stem 'entr'aperç-' replacing the final '-cevoir' with 'ç' in the infinitive entr'apercevoir and follow the '-us' pattern (found at the top of the page).

Endings' pattern:

Verbs:

ENTR'APERCEVOIR

J'	entr'apercevois > entr'aperçus
Tu	entr'apercevois > entr'aperçus
Il	entr'apercevoit > entr'aperçut
Nous	entr'apercevoîmes > entr'aperçûmes
Vous	entr'apercevoîtes > entr'aperçûtes
Ils	entr'apercevoirent > entr'aperçurent

'-ENIR' PATTERN [-ins endings]

Description:

Use the base stem 'cont-' dropping the final '-enir' from the infinitive contenir and follow the '-ins' pattern (found at the top of the page).

Endings' pattern:

-ins, -ins, -int, -înmes, -întes, -inrent

Verbs:

CONTENIR

to contain, to include; to hold back, to suppress

Je	contenis > contins
Tu	contenis > contins
Il	contenit > contint
Nous	contenîmes > contînmes
Vous	contenîtes > contîntes
Ils	contenirent > continrent

'-EOIR' PATTERN

Description:

Use the base stem 'rass-' dropping the final '-eoir' from the infinitive rasseoir.

Endings' pattern:

Verbs:

asseoir

rasseoir

surseoir

RASSEOIR

Je	rasseois > rassis
Tu	rasseois > rassis
Il	rasseoit > rassit
Nous	rasseoîmes > rassîmes
Vous	rasseoîtes > rassîtes
Ils	rasseoirent > rassirent

'-OIR' PATTERN

Description:

Use the base stem 'rass-' dropping the final '-oir' from the infinitive rassoir.

Endings' pattern:

Verbs:

RASSOIR

Je	rassois > rassis
Tu	rassois > rassis
Il	rassoit > rassit
Nous	rassoîmes > rassîmes
Vous	rassoîtes > rassîtes
Ils	rassoirent > rassirent

'-OIR' PATTERN [-us endings]

Description:

Use the base stem 'val-' dropping the final '-oir' from the infinitive valoir and follow the '-us' pattern (found at the top of the page).

Endings' pattern:

Verbs:

VALOIR

to have a certain monetary value, to be worth

Je	valois > valus
Tu	valois > valus
Il	valoit > valut
Nous	valoîmes > valûmes
Vous	valoîtes > valûtes
Ils	valoirent > valurent

'-OUVOIR' PATTERN [-us endings]

Description:

Use the base stem 'ém-' dropping the final '-ouvoir' from the infinitive émouvoir and follow the '-us' pattern (found at the top of the page).

Endings' pattern:

Verbs:

ÉMOUVOIR

J'	émouvois > émus
Tu	émouvois > émus
Il	émouvoit > émut
Nous	émouvoîmes > émûmes
Vous	émouvoîtes > émûtes
Ils	émouvoirent > émurent

'-US' PATTERN [-us endings]

Description:

Follow the regular '-us' pattern (found at the top of the page) instead of the regular endings.

Endings' pattern:

-us, -us, -ut, -ûmes, -ûtes, -urent

Verbs:

DISCOURIR

Je	discouris > discourus
Tu	discouris > discourus
Il	discourit > discourut
Nous	discourîmes > discourûmes
Vous	discourîtes > discourûtes
Ils	discourirent > discoururent

ORTHOGRAPHIC CHANGES

Remove i add ï

Description:

Keep the tréma accent on the 'i'.

Endings' pattern:

-ïs, -ïs, -ït, -ïmes, -ïtes, -ïrent

Verbs:

HAÏR

to hate

Je	hais > haïs
Tu	hais > haïs
Il	hait > haït
Nous	haîmes > haïmes
Vous	haîtes > haïtes
Ils	hairent > haïrent

COMPLETELY IRREGULAR

AVOIR (unique)

Description:

Irregular verb

Endings' pattern:

Applicable verbs:

avoir

AVOIR

to have

J'	avois > eus
Tu	avois > eus
Il	avoit > eut
Nous	avoîmes > eûmes
Vous	avoîtes > eûtes
Ils	avoirent > eurent

SAVOIR (unique)

Description:

Irregular verb

Endings' pattern:

Applicable verbs:

savoir

SAVOIR

to know (facts and how to do things)

Je	savois > sus
Tu	savois > sus
Il	savoit > sut
Nous	savoîmes > sûmes
Vous	savoîtes > sûtes
Ils	savoirent > surent

DEVOIR (unique)

Description:

Irregular verb

Endings' pattern:

Applicable verbs:

devoir

DEVOIR

to have to (obligation); to owe

Je	devois > dus
Tu	devois > dus
Il	devoit > dut
Nous	devoîmes > dûmes
Vous	devoîtes > dûtes
Ils	devoirent > durent

CANCELED CONJUGATIONS

No conjugations

Description:

Do not use in the simple past tense of the indicative mood.

Endings' pattern:

Verbs:

SEOIR

Je	seois > -
Tu	seois > -
Il	seoit > -
Nous	seoîmes > -
Vous	seoîtes > -
Ils	seoirent > -

-ENIR [-ins endings], only il

Description:

Use the base stem 'adv-' dropping the final '-enir' from the infinitive advenir, follow the '-ins' pattern (found at the top of the page) and only conjugate the il form.

Endings' pattern:

, -int,

Verbs:

advenir

ADVENIR

J'	advenis > -
Tu	advenis > -
Il	advenit > advint
Nous	advenîmes > -
Vous	advenîtes > -
Ils	advenirent > -

-OIR [-us endings], only il, irreg. [for: il]

Description:

Use the base stem 'éch-' dropping the final '-oir' from the infinitive échoir, follow the '-us' pattern (found at the top of the page) and only conjugate the il form.

Endings' pattern:

Verbs:

échoir

ÉCHOIR

J'	échois > -
Tu	échois > -
Il	échoit > échut
Nous	échoîmes > -
Vous	échoîtes > -
Ils	échoirent > -

Only il, irreg. [for: il] [-us endings]

Description:

Use the base stem 'fall-' dropping the final '-oir' from the infinitive falloir, follow the '-us' pattern (found at the top of the page) and only conjugate the il form.

Endings' pattern:

FALLOIR

to have to (necessity)

Je	fallois > -
Tu	fallois > -
Il	falloit > fallut
Nous	falloîmes > -
Vous	falloîtes > -
Ils	falloirent > -

PLEUVOIR

Je	pleuvois > -
Tu	pleuvois > -
Il	pleuvoit > plut
Nous	pleuvoîmes > -
Vous	pleuvoîtes > -
Ils	pleuvoirent > -

Other groups

-ER

-IR

-RE

Other irregularities

Participles	Present Past
Indicative	Present Imperfect Simple Future Simple Past	-ER -IR -RE -ER -IR -RE
Subjunctive	Present Imperfect
Conditional	Present
Imperative	Present

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