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Verb conjugation

blackbouler

to blackball

Usage

To blackball — to reject a candidate through a negative vote, historically tied to secret ballots using black and white balls (as once practiced at the Académie française and in Masonic lodges). Also used loosely for failing someone in an exam.

Examples
  • Le candidat a été blackboulé au second tour du vote.The candidate was blackballed in the second round of voting.
  • Elle s'est fait blackbouler à l'oral malgré un bon dossier.She was failed in the oral exam despite a strong file.
  • L'Académie a blackboulé plusieurs candidats cette année-là.The Academy blackballed several candidates that year.
Common mistake

It specifically implies a formal rejection by vote or exam, not just general disapproval — don't use it as a casual synonym for rejeter or refuser in everyday contexts.

Simple tenses

Present

jeblackboule
tublackboules
il/elleblackboule
nousblackboulons
vousblackboulez
ils/ellesblackboulent

Imperfect

jeblackboulais
tublackboulais
il/elleblackboulait
nousblackboulions
vousblackbouliez
ils/ellesblackboulaient

Past historic (passé simple)

jeblackboulai
tublackboulas
il/elleblackboula
nousblackboulâmes
vousblackboulâtes
ils/ellesblackboulèrent

Future

jeblackboulerai
tublackbouleras
il/elleblackboulera
nousblackboulerons
vousblackboulerez
ils/ellesblackbouleront

Conditional

jeblackboulerais
tublackboulerais
il/elleblackboulerait
nousblackboulerions
vousblackbouleriez
ils/ellesblackbouleraient

Subjunctive

jeblackboule
tublackboules
il/elleblackboule
nousblackboulions
vousblackbouliez
ils/ellesblackboulent

Subjunctive (imperfect)

jeblackboulasse
tublackboulasses
il/elleblackboulât
nousblackboulassions
vousblackboulassiez
ils/ellesblackboulassent

Imperative

tublackboule
nousblackboulons
vousblackboulez

Compound tenses

Passé composé

jeai blackboulé
tuas blackboulé
il/ellea blackboulé
nousavons blackboulé
vousavez blackboulé
ils/ellesont blackboulé

Plus-que-parfait

jeavais blackboulé
tuavais blackboulé
il/elleavait blackboulé
nousavions blackboulé
vousaviez blackboulé
ils/ellesavaient blackboulé

Passé antérieur

jeeus blackboulé
tueus blackboulé
il/elleeut blackboulé
nouseûmes blackboulé
vouseûtes blackboulé
ils/elleseurent blackboulé

Futur antérieur

jeaurai blackboulé
tuauras blackboulé
il/elleaura blackboulé
nousaurons blackboulé
vousaurez blackboulé
ils/ellesauront blackboulé

Conditionnel passé

jeaurais blackboulé
tuaurais blackboulé
il/elleaurait blackboulé
nousaurions blackboulé
vousauriez blackboulé
ils/ellesauraient blackboulé

Subjonctif passé

jeaie blackboulé
tuaies blackboulé
il/elleait blackboulé
nousayons blackboulé
vousayez blackboulé
ils/ellesaient blackboulé

Subjonctif plus-que-parfait

jeeusse blackboulé
tueusses blackboulé
il/elleeût blackboulé
nouseussions blackboulé
vouseussiez blackboulé
ils/elleseussent blackboulé

Impératif passé

tuaie blackboulé
nousayons blackboulé
vousayez blackboulé

Other

Present participle

blackboulant

Past participle

blackboulé

Infinitive

blackbouler

Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What does "blackbouler" mean?

"blackbouler" means "to blackball".

How do you conjugate "blackbouler" in the present tense?

The present of "blackbouler" is: je blackboule, tu blackboules, il/elle blackboule, nous blackboulons, vous blackboulez, ils/elles blackboulent.

What is the Passé composé of "blackbouler"?

The passé composé of "blackbouler" is: je ai blackboulé, tu as blackboulé, il/elle a blackboulé, nous avons blackboulé, vous avez blackboulé, ils/elles ont blackboulé.

What is the Imperative of "blackbouler"?

The imperative of "blackbouler" is: tu blackboule, nous blackboulons, vous blackboulez.