Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apeurer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb apeurer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of apeurer. 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 “apeurer” is “to scare” or “to frighten.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “apeurer” in French is [a.pø.ʁe].

“Apeurer” originated from the Old French word “espovrer,” which means “to be afraid” or “to be frightened.” It is primarily used in everyday French to express feelings of fear or anxiety. The verb is often used in the imparfait tense (imperfect tense), which is used to describe past habitual or ongoing actions.

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

  1. Quand j’étais petit, les films d’horreur m’apeuraient.
    (When I was little, horror movies scared me.)

  2. Les bruits étranges dans la maison nous apeuraient toutes les nuits.
    (The strange noises in the house used to frighten us every night.)

  3. L’obscurité me rendait nerveux et m’apeurait quand j’étais seul.
    (The darkness made me nervous and scared when I was alone.)

Please note that the translations provided are in the past tense to reflect the usage in the imparfait tense, but the English translations can vary depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of apeurer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je apeurais J’apeurais les oiseaux. I used to scare the birds.
tu apeurais Tu apeurais les enfants. You used to frighten the children.
il apeurait Il apeurait les animaux. He used to scare the animals.
elle apeurait Elle apeurait son frère. She used to frighten her brother.
on apeurait On apeurait les voisins. We used to alarm the neighbors.
nous apeurions Nous apeurions les passants. We used to frighten the passersby.
vous apeuriez Vous apeuriez les spectateurs. You used to scare the spectators.
ils apeuraient Ils apeuraient leurs ennemis. They used to frighten their enemies.
elles apeuraient Elles apeuraient leurs camarades. They used to scare their classmates.

Other Conjugations for Apeurer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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