Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ambler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb ambler

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The English translation of the French verb “ambler” is “to amble” or “to stroll.” The infinitive form of “ambler” is pronounced as ahm-blé.

The word “ambler” comes from the Old French word “ambuler,” which means “to walk.” It has its roots in the Latin word “ambulare,” with the same meaning. In everyday French, “ambler” is commonly used in the imparfait tense, which is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

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

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, j’ambulais souvent dans les rues de Paris.
    (When I was young, I used to stroll often in the streets of Paris.)

  2. Nous ambulions tranquillement le long de la plage tous les soirs.
    (We used to amble peacefully along the beach every evening.)

  3. Pendant nos vacances, nous ambulions dans les jardins du château.
    (During our vacation, we would stroll in the castle gardens.)

In these examples, the imparfait tense is used to describe past actions that were habitual, ongoing, or repeated. It conveys a sense of the past without a specific endpoint.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of ambler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je ambulais J’ambulais lentement. I was walking slowly.
tu ambulais Tu ambulais tranquillement. You were walking calmly.
il ambulait Il ambulait dans le parc. He was walking in the park.
elle ambulait Elle ambulait avec grâce. She was walking with grace.
on ambulait On ambulait ensemble. We were walking together.
nous ambulions Nous ambulions dans la nature. We were walking in nature.
vous ambuliez Vous ambuliez rapidement. You were walking quickly.
ils ambulaient Ils ambulaient joyeusement. They were walking happily.
elles ambulaient Elles ambulaient avec assurance. They were walking confidently.

Other Conjugations for Ambler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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