French conjugation explanation

Forming the imparfait verb forms

<p>The <span style="font-style: italic;">imparfait</span> verb forms are formed by <strong>removing the <span style="font-style: italic;">-ons</span> ending from the first-person plural form of the present tense</strong>, and adding the appropriate personal ending (there are only a few exception that we discuss further below).</p>

<p>For example, the first-person plural form of the verb <span style="font-style: italic;">faire</span> in the present tense is <span style="font-style: italic;">nous faisons</span>, so the stem for the <span style="font-style: italic;">imparfait</span> forms will be <span style="font-style: italic;">fais-</span>:</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/26/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imparfait</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

je

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">fais<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ais</span><span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">fais<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ais</span><span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

il

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">fais<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ait</span><span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nous

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">fais<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ions</span><span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vous

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">fais<span style="text-decoration: underline;">iez</span><span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ils

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">fais<span style="text-decoration: underline;">aient</span><span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>

Let's have a look at the stems for a few more common verbs:

</p>

<div class="table_container">

<div class="three_column_table">

<div><strong>Verb</strong></div>

<div><strong>Present P/1</strong></div>

<div><strong>Stem</strong></div>

<div><strong>aller</strong><p>(REGULAR)</p></div>

<div>allons</div>

<div>all-</div>

<div><strong>finir</strong><p>(REGULAR)</p></div>

<div>finissons</div>

<div>finiss-</div>

<div><strong>mettre</strong><p>(REGULAR)</p></div>

<div>mettons</div>

<div>mett-</div>

<div><strong>avoir</strong></div>

<div>avons</div>

<div>av-</div>

<div><strong>partir</strong></div>

<div>partons</div>

<div>part-</div>

<div><strong>venir</strong></div>

<div>venons</div>

<div>ven-</div>

<div><strong>prendre</strong></div>

<div>prenons</div>

<div>pren-</div>

<div><strong>voir</strong></div>

<div>voyons</div>

<div>voy-</div>

<div><strong>écrire</strong></div>

<div>écrivons</div>

<div>écriv-</div>

<div><strong>boire</strong></div>

<div>buvons</div>

<div>buv-</div>

<div><strong>s'asseoir</strong></div>

<div>nous assoyons</div>

<div>nous assoy-</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Exceptions</div>

<ul>

<li>

<p>The verb <span style="font-style: italic">être</span>:

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/26/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imparfait</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun"><span>j'</span></span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">étais<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">étais<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

il

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">était<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nous

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">étions<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vous

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">étiez<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ils

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">étaient<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</li>

<li>

<p>For verbs ending in <span style="font-style: italic">-cer</span>, the cedilla (ç) is not needed to soften the <span style="font-style: italic">c</span> in the first and second person plural forms (because the <span style="font-style: italic">c</span> is followed by an <span style="font-style: italic">i</span>):</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/26/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imparfait</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

je

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">commençais<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">commençais<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

il

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">commençait<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nous

</span>commencions

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vous

</span>commenciez

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ils

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">commençaient<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</li>

<li>

<p>For verbs ending in <span style="font-style: italic">-ger</span>, the <span style="font-style: italic">e</span> is not needed to soften the <span style="font-style: italic">g</span> in the first and second person plural forms (because the <span style="font-style: italic">g</span> is followed by an <span style="font-style: italic">i</span>):</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/26/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imparfait</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

je

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">mangeais<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">mangeais<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

il

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">mangeait<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nous

</span>mangions

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vous

</span>mangiez

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ils

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">mangeaient<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</li>

<li>

<p>Verbs that are only used in the 3rd person</p>

<div class="table_container">

<div class="two_column_table">

<div><strong>Verb</strong></div>

<div><strong>Imparfait S/3</strong></div>

<div><strong>falloir</strong></div>

<div>fallait</div>

<div><strong>pleuvoir</strong></div>

<div>pleuvait</div>

<div><strong>neiger</strong></div>

<div>neigeait</div>

<div><strong>s'agir</strong></div>

<div>s'agissait</div>

</li>

</ul>