Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Introduction to the verb achever
The English translation of the French verb “achever” is “to finish” or “to complete.” The infinitive form “achever” is pronounced as “ah-sheh-vay.”
The word “achever” originated from the Old French term “achever” which meant “to put an end to” or “to complete.” It comes from the combination of the prefix “a-” (which indicates completion) and the word “chever” (which means “to end” or “to finish”). In everyday French, “achever” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing actions or habitual events in the past.
Here are three examples of the usage of “achever” in the imparfait tense with their English translations:
- Je l’achevais tous les jours. (I used to finish it every day.)
- Nous achevions nos devoirs ensemble. (We used to complete our homework together.)
- Ils achevaient leurs repas tard le soir. (They used to finish their meals late in the evening.)
Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of achever
Pronoun | Conjugation | Short Example | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
je | achevais | J’achevais mon travail. | I was finishing my work. |
tu | achevais | Tu achevais tes devoirs. | You were finishing your homework. |
il | achevait | Il achevait sa lecture. | He was finishing his reading. |
elle | achevait | Elle achevait sa tâche. | She was finishing her task. |
on | achevait | On achevait le projet. | We were finishing the project. |
nous | achevions | Nous achevions le repas. | We were finishing the meal. |
vous | acheviez | Vous acheviez vos exercices. | You were finishing your exercises. |
ils | achevaient | Ils achevaient leur conversation. | They were finishing their conversation. |
elles | achevaient | Elles achevaient leur travail. | They were finishing their work. |
Other Conjugations for Achever.
Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever (You’re reading it right now!)
Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb achever
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Achever – 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 achever. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!