Irregular verbs with the passé simple ending -u in French

Read more about how to use Irregular verbs with the passé simple ending -u in French.
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Irregular verbs with the passé simple ending -u

In the passé simple certain verbs originate from the past participle form. We see this with savoir (past participle su → passé simple: je sus), courir (couru → je courus), connaître (connu → je connus), vivre (vécu → je vécus), lire (lu → je lus) and many others (plaire, taire, résoudre, boire, devoir, etc.).

connaître en
Je connus
Tu connus
Il connut/elle connut
Nous connûmes
Vous connûtes
Ils connurent/elles connurent
vivre en
Je vécus
Tu vécus
Il vécut/elle vécut
Nous vécûmes
Vous vécûtes
Ils vécurent/elles vécurent
devoir en
Je dus
Tu dus
Il dut/elle dut
Nous dûmes
Vous dûtes
Ils durent/elles durent

Mort, il se tient droit, lui qui vécut à plat ventre. (Citation de Victor Hugo, à propos du procureur général Me Dupin, dont on venait d'ériger une statue.) Upright in death, he who crawled through life. (Quote from Victor Hugo, about Mr. Dupin, the public prosecutor, whose statue had just been erected.) 


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