passé
/pa.se/masculine
In French, the English phrase 'past' is translated as passé.
The word passé is used as a noun to refer to a period of time that has already happened. It can also function as an adjective to express an action that has already occurred. For a more formal way to express a 'previous' or 'prior' meaning, you may use antérieur. Other ways to refer to time in the past include Autrefois (in the past), La semaine dernière (last week), Il y a deux jours (two days ago) and Pendant mon enfance (during my childhood).
Meaning: period of time that has already happened (noun)
Which one should you use?
While passé is used as the noun for 'the past', it also serves as an adjective meaning 'out of date' or 'out of fashion'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using passé as an adjective, the spelling must agree with the noun it describes: use passée for feminine singular nouns and passés for masculine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word passé is pronounced /pa.se/ and consists of two syllables.
Did you know?
- The English word 'passé' is borrowed directly from the French passé. In English, it almost exclusively means 'out of fashion', whereas in French it remains the standard word for the general 'past'.
- In French, when someone says c'est du passé, they are not just stating a fact about time but are often suggesting that a topic is no longer relevant and should be dropped.
- The word passé is central to the passé composé, the most common past tense in spoken French, which literally means the 'composed past' because it is built from two different verbs.
Examples in context
- Il est minuit passé.It's past midnight.This sentence shows how to use passé to indicate a time after a specific point.Tatoeba #3779563 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #2249155 by CK
- Le passé est le passé.The past is the past.This sentence illustrates the phrase 'the past is the past' using passé.Tatoeba #2264146 by sacredceltic, translation #2235370 by Hybrid
- J'ai honte de mon passé.I'm ashamed of my past.This sentence uses passé to refer to one's personal history.Tatoeba #5493445 by Aiji, translation #3821573 by CK
- Cet événement a eu lieu lors d'une période antérieure à celle-ci.This event took place during a period prior to this one.
- Nous avons mangé au restaurant hier soir.We ate at the restaurant last night.
- 169 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are talking about their childhood memories.
- HugoTu penses souvent au passé ?Do you think about the past often?
- EmmaOui, j'aime me souvenir du passé.Yes, I love remembering the past.
- HugoMoi, je préfère regarder vers l'avenir.Me, I prefer to look toward the future.
- EmmaC'est vrai, mais le passé est important.That's true, but the past is important.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “past” translations and entries passé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
