<P> The passé simple ( French pronunciation : ​ ( pase sɛ̃pl ) , simple past or preterite ) , also called the passé défini ( IPA : ( pase defini ) , definite past ) , is the literary equivalent of the passé composé in the French language , used predominantly in formal writing ( including history and literature ) and formal speech . As with other preterites , it is used when the action has a definite beginning and end and has already been completed , comparable to the Ancient Greek aorist . In writing it is most often used for narration . While literary and refined language still hangs on to the passé simple , the spoken language has simply renounced passé simple for the passé composé , which means that in spoken French , there is no longer a nuance between : </P>
<P> The passé simple ( French pronunciation : ​ ( pase sɛ̃pl ) , simple past or preterite ) , also called the passé défini ( IPA : ( pase defini ) , definite past ) , is the literary equivalent of the passé composé in the French language , used predominantly in formal writing ( including history and literature ) and formal speech . As with other preterites , it is used when the action has a definite beginning and end and has already been completed , comparable to the Ancient Greek aorist . In writing it is most often used for narration . While literary and refined language still hangs on to the passé simple , the spoken language has simply renounced passé simple for the passé composé , which means that in spoken French , there is no longer a nuance between : </P>
when is the passe simple used in french
when is the passe simple used in french
predominantly in formal writing ( including history and literature ) and formal speech
predominantly in formal writing ( including history and literature ) and formal speech