The passé simple (past definite) is used primarily in formal, literary, and historical writings to express a completed past action, event, or situation. In conversation and informal writing, the passé composé is used instead of the passé simple to express the past.

How do you form passé simple in French?

The passé simple is most often formed by dropping the last two letters off the infinitive form of the verb and adding the appropriate ending. Many other irregular verbs are easily recognized because the passé simple often resembles the past participle.

How do you use passe compose in a sentence?

To form the passé composé of verbs using avoir, conjugate avoir in the present tense (j'ai, tu as, il a, nous avons, vous avez, ils ont) and add the past participle of the verb expressing the action. Put the words together this way: subject + helping verb (usually avoir) + past participle.