Look at these examples of -UIRE verbs in Le Passé Simple:
Après qu'il fut parti, tu détruisis toutes ses affaires.After he left, you destroyed all his things.
Rimbaud produisit ses poèmes les plus célèbres avant l'âge de 20 ans.Rimbaud produced his most famous poems before the age of 20.
Cette année-là, nous traduisîmes toute l'œuvre de Baudelaire en anglais.That year, we translated all the work of Baudelaire into English.
Les Égyptiens construisirent les magnifiques pyramides.The Egyptians built the magnificent pyramids.
Note that -UIRE verbs have an irregular stem in Le Passé Simple: -uis-, followed by the regular 'i' endings (-is, -is, -it, -îmes, -îtes, -irent).
List of -UIRE verbs:
produire (to produce)
reproduire (to reproduce)
conduire (to drive, to conduct)
reconduire (to drive back, to renew)
déduire (to deduct, to deduce)
introduire (to introduce)
traduire (to translate)
séduire (to seduce)
réduire (to reduce)
construire (to build, to construct)
reconstruire (to rebuild)
détruire (to destroy)
nuire (to harm, to cause damage)
cuire (to cook, to bake)
EXCEPTION with "luire":
The verb luire (to glow/to glisten) and its derivatives (reluire...) accept 2 conjugations:
- the regular one: je luisis, tu luisis, il luisit, nous luisîmes, vous luisîtes, ils luisirent
- and the irregular one: je luis, tu luis, il luit, nous luîmes, vous luîtes, ils luirent
Want to make sure your French sounds confident? We’ll map your knowledge and give you free lessons to focus on your gaps and mistakes. Start your Braimap today »
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Les Égyptiens construisirent les magnifiques pyramides.The Egyptians built the magnificent pyramids.
Rimbaud produisit ses poèmes les plus célèbres avant l'âge de 20 ans.Rimbaud produced his most famous poems before the age of 20.
Cette année-là, nous traduisîmes toute l'œuvre de Baudelaire en anglais.That year, we translated all the work of Baudelaire into English.