Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Introduction to the verb canner
The English translation of the French verb “canner” is “to can” or “to preserve” (as in canning food). The infinitive form of “canner” is pronounced as [ka-ne].
The verb “canner” comes from the Old French word “caner” which means “to sing” or “to crow.” Over time, its meaning evolved to refer to the action of preserving food in cans or jars. In everyday French, “canner” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe past habitual actions or ongoing states in the past.
Here are three examples of “canner” used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:
-
Chaque été, ma grand-mère cannais les fruits du jardin.
(Every summer, my grandmother would can the fruits from the garden.) -
Quand j’étais enfant, ma mère me surveillait pendant qu’elle cannais les légumes.
(When I was a child, my mother would watch over me while she was canning vegetables.) -
Autrefois, les femmes d’ici cannaient souvent pour préserver les aliments en hiver.
(In the past, women here would often can to preserve food for the winter.)
Note: The verb “canner” can also have other meanings depending on the context, such as “to jam” (musically) or “to jar” (to provoke discord). However, in the context of preserving food, its primary meaning is “to can.”
Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of canner
Pronoun | Conjugation | Short Example | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
je | cannais | Je cannais beaucoup de légumes. | I used to can a lot of vegetables. |
tu | cannais | Tu cannais les fruits. | You used to can fruits. |
il | cannait | Il cannait les confitures. | He used to can jams. |
elle | cannait | Elle cannait les sauces. | She used to can sauces. |
on | cannait | On cannait les conserves. | We used to can preserves. |
nous | cannions | Nous cannions nos propres aliments. | We used to can our own food. |
vous | canniez | Vous canniez les légumes. | You used to can vegetables. |
ils | cannaient | Ils cannaient les viandes. | They used to can meats. |
elles | cannaient | Elles cannaient les soupes. | They used to can soups. |
Other Conjugations for Canner.
Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner (You’re reading it right now!)
Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canner
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Canner – 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 canner. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!