past
The French word 'passé' is used to denote past time or something that happened before now. It's similar to how we use past in English to denote any time before the current moment. It can be used in various contexts, either to refer to a past event, a past tense, or to a period in history.
The summer has passed.
In this phrase, 'passé' is used to indicate that a period (summer) has concluded or ended.
They passed the door.
This phrase uses 'passé' to describe the action of people moving past a door, meaning they went beyond it or through it.
She passed by here.
In this phrase, 'passé' is used as a verb to denote that someone has moved through or by a particular location.
I had a good time.
Here, 'passé' is used in the context of experiencing or spending a specified period, in this case, a 'good time.'
Time has passed very quickly.
In this phrase, 'passé' is used in the context of the past tense. It implies that time has fled or gone by very quickly, perhaps referring to an event, day, or period that the speaker felt was over too soon.
He passed the exam.
In this instance, 'passé' is used to depict the successful completion of a task, in this case, an exam. It expresses the notion of overcoming or succeeding.
Where is the simple past?
This phrase may refer to seeking the past simple tense in a language lesson or textbook. 'Passé' is part of the longer term 'passé simple,' which is a French tense indicating events completed in the past.
It's in the past.
Here, 'passé' denotes something that happened in the past and is no more relevant to the present or future. The phrase implies a sense of moving on from past events.
His love is a thing of the past.
In this context, 'passé' in the term 'passé révolu' directly translates to the English phrase 'thing of the past,' referring to something that was once present but now is not.
We have crossed the limits.
In this sentence, 'passé' is used to indicate surpassing or going beyond a particular restriction or boundary, referring to 'limits' in this instance.