Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb affirmer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb affirmer

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The English translation of the French verb “affirmer” is “to affirm” or “to assert.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “affirmer” is [a-fee-may].

The verb “affirmer” in French is derived from the Latin word “affirmare,” meaning “to confirm” or “to strengthen.” In everyday French, “affirmer” is commonly used in the imparfait tense (imperfect tense), which indicates ongoing or repeated past actions.

Here are three examples of how “affirmer” can be used in the imparfait tense along with their English translations:

  1. Je l’affirmais souvent. (I used to affirm it often.)
  2. Ils affirmaient être les meilleurs. (They used to assert they were the best.)
  3. Nous t’affirmions que c’était possible. (We used to assure you that it was possible.)

Note: The English translations provided here are just one possible interpretation and can vary based on context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of affirmer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je affirmais J’affirmais mes convictions. I affirmed my convictions.
tu affirmas Tu affirmas ton point de vue. You affirmed your point of view.
il affirmait Il affirmait ses compétences. He affirmed his skills.
elle affirmait Elle affirmait sa position. She affirmed her position.
on affirmait On affirmait leurs intentions. We affirmed their intentions.
nous affirmions Nous affirmions notre engagement. We affirmed our commitment.
vous affirmiez Vous affirmiez votre autorité. You affirmed your authority.
ils affirmaient Ils affirmaient leur innocence. They affirmed their innocence.
elles affirmaient Elles affirmaient leur influence. They affirmed their influence.

Other Conjugations for Affirmer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Affirmer – 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 affirmer. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!

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