In: Level C1, Verbs Tenses & Conjugation, Passé simple

Look at these examples of -UIRE verbs in Le Passé Simple:

Cette nuit-là, je conduisis pendant des heures.That night, I drove for hours.

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.

Vous séduisîtes cette jeune femme naïve.You seduced this naïve young woman.

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

Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Passé simple

Examples and resources

Vous séduisîtes cette jeune femme naïve.You seduced this naïve young woman.

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.

Après qu'il fut parti, tu détruisis toutes ses affaires.After he left, you destroyed all his things.

Cette nuit-là, je conduisis pendant des heures.That night, I drove for hours.

Les Égyptiens construisirent les magnifiques pyramides.The Egyptians built the magnificent pyramids.

Q&A Forum 3 questions, 2 answers

RobC1Kwiziq community member

Small error in lesson

In the lesson, "That year, we translated all the work of Baudelaire in English." should be "That year, we translated all the work of Baudelaire into English."

Asked 5 months ago

Like0Answer1

CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi Rob,

Thanks for pointing this out , it has now been changed.

Like05 months ago

Rob asked:View original

Small error in lesson

In the lesson, "That year, we translated all the work of Baudelaire in English." should be "That year, we translated all the work of Baudelaire into English."

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ChrisC1Kwiziq community member

Luire in passé simple

Ron, I know this is very late in the game, but I had the same question. You asked for the phrase in question so here it is below.

The answer given is luit without a discussion of the two possible acceptable answers.

Thanks, Chris

Cette nuit-là, la ville ________ de mille feux. That night, the city glowed with a thousand lights.HINT: Conjugate "luire" (to glow) in Le Passé Simple

Asked 7 months ago

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Chris asked:View original

Luire in passé simple

Ron, I know this is very late in the game, but I had the same question. You asked for the phrase in question so here it is below.

The answer given is luit without a discussion of the two possible acceptable answers.

Thanks, Chris

Cette nuit-là, la ville ________ de mille feux. That night, the city glowed with a thousand lights.HINT: Conjugate "luire" (to glow) in Le Passé Simple

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IanC1Kwiziq community member

Conjugation of 'luire' in the passé simple

I have checked the rule and your answer does not follow the rule. Therefore I checked conjugation tables for luire which support the notion that your answer is incorrect, and that the correct answer was not present. According to these conjugation tables Luire in the passé simple has these conjugations: je luisis tu luisis il luisit "Now the city would fall into the 3rd category 3rd person singular and so the correct answer is surely luisit - Ian

Asked 2 years ago

Like0Answer1

RonC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Bonjour Ian, I reread the lesson and it certainly points out the following: 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 However, I am not finding the question which includes a city using luire. Perhaps you can copy the phrase and resubmit your question. Bonne chance.

Like02 years ago

Ian asked:View original