le preterit simple - Univ

LE PRETERIT SIMPLE
1. Valeur
 Qu'est-ce que le prétérit simple ?
Le prétérit simple est un temps relatant le passé repéré soit par un adverbe de temps
(yesterday), soit par une locution de temps (this morning), une date (in 1992) ou encore
une proposition entière (when you came last year = quand vous êtes venu(e) l'an dernier). Il
correspond bien souvent, en langue orale, à notre passé composé, notre passé simple
ayant quasiment disparu de nos conversations.
 Pourquoi est-il appelé prétérit simple ?
Parce que la relation entre le verbe et le sujet est directe, sans recours à un auxiliaire
quelconque.
2. Le prétérit de TO BE
 Il n'existe que deux mots pour le prétérit de to be : was et were. Voici leur distribution :
Forme affirmative Forme interrogative Forme négative
I was
you were
he was
she was
it was
we were
you were
they were
was I ?
were you ?
was he ?
was she ?
was it ?
were we ?
were you ?
were they ?
I was not (I wasn't)
you were not (you weren't)
he was not (he wasn't)
she was not (she wasn't)
it was not (it wasn't)
we were not (we weren't)
you were not (you weren't)
they were not (they weren't)
 Nous retrouvons ces deux mêmes unités dans la structure there + be (il y + avoir) :
There was an accident at the crossroads. Il y a eu un accident au carrefour.
There were road-works. Il y avait des travaux.
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3. Le prétérit des verbes réguliers
 Le prétérit des verbes autres que to be et to have se fait par l'adjonction du suffixe -ed
quand il s'agit d'un verbe régulier. Ce préfixe a 3 réalisations sonores selon
l'environnement :
[d] après un son vocalique ou une consonne sonore : played, showed, lived
[t] après une consonne sourde : liked, helped, worked, etc.
[id] après la dentale t ou d : started, waited, mended, etc.
The children played in the garden Les enfants ont joué dans le jardin this morning.
ce matin.
We milked the cows at 6 this morning. Nous avons trait les vaches à 6h ce matin.
We started at 8 yesterday. Nous avons commencé à 8 heures hier.
 Remarques orthographiques
Lorsque la forme de base du verbe se termine déjà par un e, sa forme prétéritale se fait par
l'adjonction d'un simple d :
hire >>>> hired stroke >>>> stroked
like >>>> liked use >>>> used
live >>>> lived graze >>>> grazed
Lorsque la forme de base du verbe se termine par la seule voyelle y, sa forme prétéritale se
fait en -ied :
carry >>>> carried
Lorsque la forme verbale du verbe se termine par une consonne précédée d'une seule
voyelle la consonne finale est doublée :
stop >>>> stopped prefer >>>> preferred
par contre :
rain >>>> rained repair >>>> repaired
4. Les transformations verbales du prétérit
Dans les transfomations verbales au prétérit, did(n't) joue le même rôle que do(n't)/does(n't) au
présent simple.
Transformation interrogative : (WH-) DID SUJET VERBE (en forme de base) ?
Transformation négative : SUJET DIDN'T VERBE (en forme de base)
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Comparez :
Do you like coffee ? Aimez-vous la café ?
Yes, I do. Oui.
Do you like tea ? Aimez-vous le thé ?
No, I don't. Non.
Did you enjoy your visit ? Avez-vous aimé votre visite ?
Yes, I did. oui.
Did you like the concert ? Avez-vous aimé le concert ?
No, I didn't. Non.
What do you prefer ? Que préférez-vous ?
What did you prefer ? Qu'avez-vous préféré ?
Forme affirmative Forme interrogative Forme négative Forme interronégative
I worked
you worked
he worked
she worked
it worked
we worked
you worked
they worked
did I work ?
did you work ?
did he work ?
did she work ?
did it work ?
did we work ?
did you work ?
did they work ?
I didn't work
you didn't work
he didn't work
she didn't work
it didn't work
we didn't work
you didn't work
they didn't work
didn't I work ?
didn't you work ?
didn't he work ?
didn't she work ?
didn't it work ?
didn't we work ?
didn't you work ?
didn't they work ?
What did you do ? Qu'avez-vous fait ?
What did you see ? Qu'avez-vous vu ?
Where did you stop ? Où vous êtes-vous arrêtés ?
5. Le prétérit de TO HAVE
Notez que to have est toujours traité comme tous les autres verbes dans sa conjugaison au
prétérit.
Did you have a nice time ? Avez-vous passé un bon moment ?
We didn't go to the museum. Nous ne sommes pas allés au musée.
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Forme affirmative Forme interrogative Forme négative Forme interronégative
I had
you had
he had
she had
it had
we had
you had
they had
did I have ?
did you have ?
did he have ?
did she have ?
did it have ?
did we have ?
did you have ?
did they have ?
I didn't have
you didn't have
he didn't have
she didn't have
it didn't have
we didn't have
you didn't have
they didn't have
didn't I have ?
didn't you have ?
didn't he have ?
didn't she have ?
didn't it have ?
didn't we have ?
didn't you have ?
didn't they have ?
6. Le prétérit des verbes irréguliers
Il existe une série de verbes dont le prétérit n'est pas formé par l'adjonction de l'affixe -ed et qui
sont, pour cette raison, considérés comme irréguliers. Voici les formes irrégulières de certains
verbes que vous avez appris :
to be was, were être
to begin began commencer
to bring brought apporter
to buy bought acheter
to catch caught attraper
to come came venir
to dig dug bêcher, creuser
to do did faire
to drink drank boire
to drive drove conduire
to eat ate manger
to feel felt (res)sentir
to find found trouver
to fly flew voler
to get got devenir, obtenir
to give gave donner
to go went aller
to have had avoir
to know knew savoir
to lay laid poser
to leave left laisser, quitter
to lend lent prêter
to make made
fabriquer
to pay paid payer
to put put mettre
to read read lire
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to run ran courir
to see saw voir
to sing sang chanter
to sleep slept dormir
to speak spoke parler
to spend spent passer, dépenser
to take took prendre
to teach taught enseigner
to think thought penser
to understand understood comprendre
to wear wore porter
to write wrote écrire
7. Ago
 Ce petit mot qui sert à exprimer l'équivalent du français il y a une semaine, un mois,
dix ans, etc. a deux caractéristiques :
ago est toujours utilisé avec un prétérit.
ago est toujours placé après la mesure du temps.
 Double difficulté pour les francophones :
J'ai rencontré John il y a une semaine.
I met John a week ago.
Première difficulté : J'ai rencontré (temps composé) / I met (temps simple)
Deuxième difficulté : Il y a une semaine / a week ago : ordre modifié
8. When
Toutes les questions concernant le passé et commençant par when sont impérativement au
prétérit.
When did you sign the contract ? Quand avez-vous signé le contrat ?
When did your parents come ? Quand vos parents sont-ils venus ?
When did Charles get married ? Quand Charles s'est-il marié ?
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