Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Introduction to the verb cambrer
The English translation of the French verb “cambrer” is “to arch” or “to curve.” The infinitive form “cambrer” is pronounced as [kɑ̃.bʁe].
“Cambrer” comes from the Old French word “cambre,” which means “arch.” It is derived from the Latin word “camur,” meaning “crooked.” In everyday French, “cambrer” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.
Here are three examples of “cambrer” in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:
- Je me cambrais pour attraper la balle. (I used to arch my back to catch the ball.)
- Tu te cambrais légèrement en faisant du yoga. (You would arch your back slightly while doing yoga.)
- Il se cambrait pour éviter les coups de son adversaire. (He used to arch his back to avoid his opponent’s blows.)
Note: “Je me cambrais” refers to the reflexive form of the verb, which means “I used to arch myself.”
Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cambrer
Pronoun | Conjugation | Short Example | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
je | cambrais | Je cambrais le dos. | I was arching my back. |
tu | cambrais | Tu cambrais les jambes. | You were bending your legs. |
il | cambrait | Il cambrait sa taille. | He was curving his waist. |
elle | cambrait | Elle cambrait les reins. | She was arching her back. |
on | cambrait | On cambrait le corps. | We were bending the body. |
nous | cambrions | Nous cambrions les bras. | We were flexing our arms. |
vous | cambriez | Vous cambriez les épaules. | You were lifting your shoulders. |
ils | cambraient | Ils cambraient les hanches. | They were arching their hips. |
elles | cambraient | Elles cambraient le dos. | They were curving their backs. |
Other Conjugations for Cambrer.
Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer (You’re reading it right now!)
Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrer
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Cambrer – About the French Imparfait Tense
NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see our article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.
Formation of the Imparfait Tense
For regular -er verbs:
For regular -ir verbs
For regular -re verbs
Common Everyday Usage Patterns
Description of Past Habits
Background Information
Mental and Emotional States
It’s employed to express emotions, thoughts, or physical sensations in the past. For example: “J’étais content quand il est arrivé.” (I was happy when he arrived.)
Ongoing Actions
Points to Note About the Imparfait Tense
Passé Composé vs. Imparfait
Conditional
Si Clauses
Narration
I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb cambrer. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!