Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb amocher

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb amocher

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of amocher. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb “amocher” is “to damage” or “to spoil.” The infinitive form of “amocher” is pronounced as “ah-moh-shay.”

The word “amocher” has its origins in the 19th-century slang language of criminals in Paris, known as “Argot.” It is believed to have derived from the Romani language, which was spoken by the Roma people in France. In modern everyday French, “amocher” is commonly used in the imparfait tense (imperfect tense), which indicates ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of how “amocher” is used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je m’amochais souvent les genoux en jouant au football.
    (When I was a child, I would often damage my knees while playing soccer.)

  2. Le chien du voisin rentrait toujours dans mon jardin et amochait les fleurs.
    (The neighbor’s dog would always come into my garden and spoil the flowers.)

  3. Pendant la fête, mes amis et moi amochions les ballons en les éclatant avec des aiguilles.
    (During the party, my friends and I would damage the balloons by popping them with needles.)

Please note that the translations provided are just rough equivalents to capture the meaning, and the exact translation can vary based on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of amocher

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je amochais J’amochais la voiture. I was damaging the car.
tu amochais Tu amochais ton téléphone. You were damaging your phone.
il amochait Il amochait les meubles. He was damaging the furniture.
elle amochait Elle amochait sa robe. She was damaging her dress.
on amochait On amochait les livres. We were damaging the books.
nous amochions Nous amochions nos mains. We were damaging our hands.
vous amochiez Vous amochiez la porte. You were damaging the door.
ils amochaient Ils amochaient les vitres. They were damaging the windows.
elles amochaient Elles amochaient les murs. They were damaging the walls.

Other Conjugations for Amocher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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