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Recognising venir/tenir and derivatives in the historic past in French (Le Passé Simple)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2024-02-26
8 questions

When learning French, recognising Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) is very important as it is used in literature and other French writings.

Learn to recognise VENIR (to come) and TENIR (to hold) and their derivatives in Le Passé Simple (Indicatif) in French

Look at these sentences:

Je la tins de toutes mes forces.I held her with all my strength.

Tu ne revins jamais.You never came back.

Et la pauvre Marie devint la reine du royaume.And the poor Marie became the queen of the kingdom.

Nous vînmes voir Paula quand elle était malade.We came to see Paula when she was sick.

Martin et toi tîntes le voleur par les épaules.Martin and you held the thief by the shoulders.

Terrifiées, elles retinrent leur souffle.Terrified, they held their breath.

 

To conjugate venir, tenir and derivatives in Le Passé Simple, here is what to do:

Keep the first letter! (without -ENIR) + endings: -ins, -ins, -int, -înmes, -întes, -inrent

 

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Examples and resources

Et la pauvre Marie devint la reine du royaume.And the poor Marie became the queen of the kingdom.
Nous vînmes voir Paula quand elle était malade.We came to see Paula when she was sick.
Martin et toi tîntes le voleur par les épaules.Martin and you held the thief by the shoulders.
Terrifiées, elles retinrent leur souffle.Terrified, they held their breath.
Je la tins de toutes mes forces.I held her with all my strength.
Tu ne revins jamais.You never came back.
I'll be right with you...