Passé simple : savoir, pouvoir, devoir

The passé simple acts like a camera flash. It captures a specific, completed moment. It does not drag on like the imparfait. It doesn't use 'have' like the passé composé. Instead, the verb stands alone. It has its own unique endings. For savoir (to know), pouvoir (to be able to), and devoir (to have to), the vowel 'u' is the star. This is why we call them 'U' verbs. If you see a 'u' in the middle of a short verb in a book, it’s probably this tense. It makes the story move fast. It gives the narrative a professional, polished rhythm. Think of it like a tuxedo for your verbs. You wouldn't wear it to a burger joint. You wear it to the opera or a fancy gala. In French, that gala is literature.

1. 1Creating these forms is like building a LEGO set. You need the right base. For these three verbs, the base is very short. Follow these steps to build them.
2. 2Start with the irregular stem. For savoir, use su-. For pouvoir, use pu-. For devoir, use du-.
3. 3Add the 'U' group endings. These are the same for all three.
4. 4For je, add -s (e.g., je sus).
5. 5For tu, add -s (e.g., tu pus).
6. 6For il/elle/on, add -t (e.g., il dut).
7. 7For nous, add -^mes (e.g., nous sûmes).
8. 8For vous, add -^tes (e.g., vous pûtes).
9. 9For ils/elles, add -rent (e.g., ils durent).
10. 10Yes, the nous and vous forms have a little hat called a circumflex. It looks fancy because it is. You will mostly see the il and ils forms in books. They are the most common by far.

You use this when you are writing a formal story. Imagine you are writing a novel about a French detective. You want to say 'He knew the truth.' You would write Il sut la vérité. It sounds punchy. Use it for historical accounts too. If you are reading a plaque on a monument in Paris, look for it. It marks a completed action that happened once. It’s perfect for 'Suddenly, she could see' or 'They had to leave.' It creates a distance between the reader and the story. It tells you that this is a finished tale from the past. You use it to sound like a sophisticated writer. Even a simple fairy tale uses it. 'The prince could not find the shoe' becomes Le prince ne put trouver la chaussure.

Do not use this at the bakery. Do not use it when texting your friends. If you say Je sus instead of J'ai su to a barista, they might think you’re a ghost from the 18th century. It is strictly for written, formal contexts. If you use it in casual conversation, it sounds like you are reading a poem. It’s too heavy for daily life. Stick to passé composé for 'I saw a movie' or 'I ate a pizza.' Save the passé simple for your future French bestseller. Also, avoid it in emails unless they are extremely formal. Modern emails usually prefer the spoken style. It’s like wearing a top hat to a gym. It’s just not the right vibe.

Many people forget the circumflex on nous and vous. It’s a tiny detail, but it matters in writing. Another big one is confusing the stems. Don't mix up su- (know) and se- (which doesn't exist here). Some people try to use regular endings. They might write il savut, which is very wrong and makes teachers cry. Another mistake is using it for descriptions. If you want to say the weather was nice, use imparfait. The passé simple is for things that *happened*, not things that *were*. Finally, don't use it and the passé composé in the same paragraph. It’s like mixing oil and water. Pick a style and stay with it. Consistency is the secret sauce of good writing.

Let’s compare this to the passé composé. In the passé composé, you say Il a pu. In the passé simple, you say Il put. They mean the same thing: 'He could.' The difference is the setting. Il a pu is for a friend or an informal email. Il put is for a novel. Now look at the imparfait: Il pouvait. This means 'He was able to' or 'He used to be able to.' It’s a background state. The passé simple is a sudden action. Il put means he succeeded in that specific moment. Think of imparfait as the stage and passé simple as the actor jumping onto it. One sets the scene, the other makes the move.