Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb agoniser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb agoniser

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The English translation of the French verb “agoniser” is “to agonize.” The infinitive form of “agoniser” is pronounced as “ah-goh-neez-ay.”

The verb “agoniser” originates from the French word “agonie,” which means “agony” or “torment.” It is commonly used in everyday French in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. The imparfait tense is often used to set the scene, describe background information, or portray habitual actions in the past.

Here are three examples of the usage of “agoniser” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je l’agonisais avec mes questions incessantes.
    (When I was young, I used to agonize him with my incessant questions.)

  2. Elle agonisait chaque nuit en se demandant si elle avait pris la bonne décision.
    (She used to agonize every night, wondering if she had made the right decision.)

  3. Nous agonisions toujours à l’idée de quitter notre pays natal.
    (We were always agonizing at the thought of leaving our homeland.)

Note: The English translations provided are approximate and may vary depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of agoniser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je agonisais J’agonisais lentement. I was agonizing slowly.
tu agonisais Tu agonisais de douleur. You were agonizing in pain.
il agonisait Il agonisait depuis des heures. He was agonizing for hours.
elle agonisait Elle agonisait en silence. She was agonizing in silence.
on agonisait On agonisait en attendant les résultats. We were agonizing while waiting for the results.
nous agonisions Nous agonisions ensemble. We were agonizing together.
vous agonisiez Vous agonisiez de peur. You were agonizing with fear.
ils agonisaient Ils agonisaient de faim. They were agonizing from hunger.
elles agonisaient Elles agonisaient de chaleur. They were agonizing from heat.

Other Conjugations for Agoniser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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