Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Introduction to the verb chatonner
The English translation of the French verb “chatonner” is “to play like a kitten” or “to frolic.” The infinitive form of “chatonner” is pronounced as “sha-toh-neh.”
The word “chatonner” is derived from the noun “chaton,” which means “kitten” in French. It is formed by adding the suffix “-onner” to the noun “chaton,” indicating the action of behaving or playing like a kitten.
In everyday French, the verb “chatonner” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe past habitual or ongoing actions. It conveys the idea of engaging in playful or lively behavior, similar to how kittens frolic around. It adds a sense of nostalgia or a descriptive element to the narrative.
Here are three simple examples of “chatonner” used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:
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Quand j’étais jeune, je chatonnais avec mes amis dans le parc.
(When I was young, I used to frolic with my friends in the park.) -
Elle chatonnait tous les soirs en dansant devant le miroir.
(Every evening, she would play like a kitten while dancing in front of the mirror.) -
Les enfants chatonnaient joyeusement pendant que les adultes discutaient.
(The children were frolicking happily while the adults were talking.)
In each of these examples, the imparfait tense of “chatonner” is used to describe the ongoing or habitual playful behavior in the past.
Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chatonner
Pronoun | Conjugation | Short Example | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
je | chatonnais | Je chatonnais tous les jours. | I used to kitten. |
tu | chatonnais | Tu chatonnais avec moi. | You used to kitten with me. |
il | chatonnait | Il chatonnait en jouant. | He used to kitten while playing. |
elle | chatonnait | Elle chatonnait avec ses jouets. | She used to kitten with her toys. |
on | chatonnait | On chatonnait dans le jardin. | We used to kitten in the garden. |
nous | chatonnions | Nous chatonnions ensemble. | We used to kitten together. |
vous | chatonniez | Vous chatonniez souvent. | You used to kitten often. |
ils | chatonnaient | Ils chatonnaient sans cesse. | They used to kitten constantly. |
elles | chatonnaient | Elles chatonnaient avec joie. | They used to kitten joyfully. |
Other Conjugations for Chatonner.
Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner (You’re reading it right now!)
Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
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Chatonner – 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 chatonner. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!