tombèrent

Tombèrent is the third-person plural form of the French verb tomber in the passé simple, the literary past tense used in narrative. It translates to “they fell” in English. The passé simple is primarily found in novels, history writing, and formal registers; in everyday spoken French, the passé composé is used instead.

The verb tomber is a regular -er verb in its conjugation. In the passé simple, the forms are tombai, tombas, tomba, tombâmes, tombâtes, tombèrent. The ending -èrent identifies the third-person plural, and the grave accent on the first e in tombèrent helps indicate its pronunciation.

Tombèrent can describe a physical fall, as in “Ils tombèrent du cheval,” or a figurative fall, as in “Ils tombèrent amoureux,” the idiomatic expression meaning “they fell in love.” Although the latter usage is common in literary and narrative contexts, its interpretation depends on the surrounding context to avoid ambiguity.

Etymology traces tomber to Old French and ultimately to Latin roots shared with related Romance languages, all centered on the notion of falling or dropping. In modern French, tombèrent remains a staple example of the passé simple, illustrating how past actions are framed in historical or literary prose.

See also: tomber, passé simple, French verbs.