Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb ajuster

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The English translation of the French verb “ajuster” is “to adjust” or “to fit.” The infinitive form of “ajuster” is pronounced as [a.ʒys.te].

The verb “ajuster” comes from the Latin word “adiustare,” which means “to make right” or “to adjust.” In everyday French, “ajuster” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

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

  1. Je l’ajustais toujours avant de partir. (I used to adjust it every time before leaving.)
  2. Nous ajustions nos montres tous les jours à midi. (We used to adjust our watches every day at noon.)
  3. Tu ajustais ton attitude en sa présence. (You used to adjust your attitude in their presence.)

In these examples, the imparfait tense is used to portray repeated or ongoing actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of ajuster

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je ajustais J’ajustais ma tenue. I was adjusting my outfit.
tu ajustais Tu ajustais ton chapeau. You were adjusting your hat.
il ajustait Il ajustait le volume. He was adjusting the volume.
elle ajustait Elle ajustait sa montre. She was adjusting her watch.
on ajustait On ajustait les paramètres. We were adjusting the settings.
nous ajustions Nous ajustions nos plans. We were adjusting our plans.
vous ajustiez Vous ajustiez vos lunettes. You were adjusting your glasses.
ils ajustaient Ils ajustaient leurs cravates. They were adjusting their ties.
elles ajustaient Elles ajustaient leurs ceintures. They were adjusting their belts.

Other Conjugations for Ajuster.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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