le passé
past
C’est le temps qui est déjà terminé, avant maintenant.
Definition & meaning
Passé can mean:
- Past, previous, or elapsed: referring to a time that has gone by.
- Outdated or old-fashioned: no longer fashionable or relevant.
- Faded or past its best: for example, a color or a flower.
- As a noun, the past: events or time that came before the present.
- As the past participle of passer , it can mean passed, went, or spent, depending on the context.
Grammar & Word origin
Passé is an adjective, a masculine noun, and the past participle of passer (“to pass”).
As an adjective, it agrees with the noun: masculine passé, feminine passée , and plural passés or passées .
Synonyms & antonyms
- ancien — “former” or “old”; it does not necessarily suggest that something is outdated.
- démodé — “out of fashion”; close to passé when describing style.
- révolu — “over” or “gone by”; often emphasizes that a period is definitively finished.
- présent — “present”; the opposite of passé when referring to time.
- moderne — “modern”; can contrast with passé in the sense of outdated.
Common phrases & collocations
Make “passé” part of your vocabulary.
Build your French vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Nous avons discuté du passé hier.noun
We discussed the past yesterday.
Ce sont des événements passés.adjective
These are past events.
Le passé de ce village est très intéressant.noun
The past of this village is very interesting.
Il pense souvent à son passé.noun
He often thinks about his past.
Les années passées furent très calmes.adjective
The past years were very calm.
Elle oublie son passé douloureux et sourit maintenant.noun
She forgets her painful past and smiles now.
Keep exploring French
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad