Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb acculer

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The English translation of the French verb “acculer” is “to corner” or “to push into a corner.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “acculer” is “ah-kew-leh.”

The verb “acculer” comes from the Latin word “ad” (to) and “culus” (buttocks), which originally meant “to drive someone towards their buttocks” or “to press someone from behind.” Over time, its meaning has evolved to convey the act of pushing or cornering someone or something.

In everyday French, the verb “acculer” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe a continuous or ongoing action in the past. It often implies a sense of pressure or urgency.

Here are three examples of “acculer” in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Je l’acculais dans le coin de la pièce.
    Translation: I was cornering him/her in the corner of the room.

  2. Les dettes s’acculaient, et il ne savait comment les rembourser.
    Translation: The debts were piling up, and he/she didn’t know how to repay them.

  3. Le chat acculait la souris contre le mur.
    Translation: The cat was cornering the mouse against the wall.

Note: It’s important to keep in mind that verb tenses may vary depending on the context, and these examples provide a general understanding of how “acculer” is used in the imparfait tense.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of acculer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je acculais J’acculais mon adversaire. I was cornering my opponent.
tu acculais Tu acculais le chat. You were cornering the cat.
il acculait Il acculait l’ennemi. He was cornering the enemy.
elle acculait Elle acculait son concurrent. She was cornering her competitor.
on acculait On acculait les voleurs. We were cornering the thieves.
nous acculions Nous acculions les coupables. We were cornering the culprits.
vous acculiez Vous acculiez le suspect. You were cornering the suspect.
ils acculaient Ils acculaient le chien. They were cornering the dog.
elles acculaient Elles acculaient les rats. They were cornering the rats.

Other Conjugations for Acculer.

Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer (You’re reading it right now!)

Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acculer

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Acculer – About the French Imparfait Tense

The French imparfait tense, often called the imperfect tense in English, is used to describe actions or states in the past. It’s primarily used to provide background information, set the scene, or describe habitual or ongoing actions in the past.

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

To form the imparfait tense in French, you typically take the present tense nous form of the verb, drop the -ons ending, and add specific endings based on the verb group (regular -er, -ir, -re verbs) or use irregular forms for certain verbs.  

For regular -er verbs:

Take the infinitive form (e.g., parler, finir, rendre) Remove the -er ending Add the imparfait endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient 

For regular -ir verbs

Take the infinitive form (e.g., choisir, grandir, finir) Remove the -ir ending Add the imparfait endings: -issais, -issais, -issait, -issions, -issiez, -issaient 

For regular -re verbs

Take the infinitive form (e.g., vendre, attendre, entendre) Remove the -re ending Add the imparfait endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

Description of Past Habits

The imparfait is often used to describe habitual actions or situations in the past. For example: “Quand j’étais enfant, je jouais au football tous les jours.” (When I was a child, I used to play football every day.) 

Background Information

It’s used to provide background information or set the stage for a main event in the past. For instance: “Il faisait beau ce jour-là.” (The weather was nice that day.) 

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

The imparfait describes actions that were in progress or happening when something else occurred in the past. For instance: “Je lisais un livre quand le téléphone a sonné.” (I was reading a book when the phone rang.)

Points to Note About the Imparfait Tense

Passé Composé vs. Imparfait

The imparfait and passé composé (a compound past tense) are often used together to express the completion of an action in the past (passé composé) and provide context or background (imparfait). For example: “Il regardait la télévision quand son ami est arrivé.” (He was watching TV when his friend arrived.) 

Conditional

The imparfait is used as the base for forming the conditional mood in French. For instance, “Je mangerais” (I would eat) is formed from “je mangeais” (I was eating). 

Si Clauses

In hypothetical or “if” clauses (si clauses), the imparfait is often used to express a condition in the past. For example: “Si j’avais de l’argent, j’achèterais une nouvelle voiture.” (If I had money, I would buy a new car.) 

Narration

In storytelling or writing, the imparfait is frequently used to set the scene and describe ongoing actions while the passé composé is used for specific events or actions that interrupted the ongoing ones.
Understanding the French imperfect tense is crucial for effective communication in French. Without it, your conversations will always live in the present!

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb acculer. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!

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