Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb amadouer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb amadouer

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The English translation of the French verb “amadouer” is “to coax” or “to sweet-talk.” The infinitive form “amadouer” is pronounced as ah-mah-doo-ay.

The word “amadouer” comes from the Old French word “maadouer,” which originally meant “to tame” or “to domesticate.” It is derived from the Arabic word “al-maddawar,” meaning “to turn around” or “to persuade.” In everyday French, “amadouer” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of “amadouer” used in the imparfait tense, with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je l’amusais avec mes histoires drôles pour l’amadouer. (When I was a child, I used to entertain him with my funny stories to coax him.)

  2. Elle lui offrait des cadeaux et lui préparait de délicieux repas pour l’amadouer. (She used to give him gifts and prepare delicious meals to sweet-talk him.)

  3. Nous les amadouions avec des promesses vides pour obtenir leur soutien. (We used to coax them with empty promises to gain their support.)

Please note that translations may vary depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of amadouer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je amadouais J’amadouais le chien. I was coaxing the dog.
tu amadouais Tu amadouais les oiseaux. You were charming the birds.
il amadouait Il amadouait le serpent. He was taming the snake.
elle amadouait Elle amadouait les enfants. She was soothing the children.
on amadouait On amadouait les animaux. We were pacifying the animals.
nous amadouions Nous amadouions les chevaux. We were gentling the horses.
vous amadouiez Vous amadouiez les gens. You were winning over the people.
ils amadouaient Ils amadouaient les clients. They were appeasing the customers.
elles amadouaient Elles amadouaient les foules. They were mollifying the crowds.

Other Conjugations for Amadouer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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