Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apitoyer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb apitoyer

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The English translation of the French verb “apitoyer” is “to move to compassion” or “to evoke pity.” The infinitive form, “apitoyer,” is pronounced as “ah-pee-twa-yey.”

The word “apitoyer” has its origins in the French word “pitié,” meaning “pity” or “compassion.” In everyday French, the verb is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe actions or situations that used to evoke pity or compassion in the past.

Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je m’apitoyais sur les animaux abandonnés.
    (When I was a child, I would feel pity for abandoned animals.)

  2. Elle s’apitoyait sur les sans-abris qu’elle croisait dans la rue.
    (She would be moved to compassion for the homeless people she encountered on the street.)

  3. Nous nous apitoyions sur les conditions de vie difficiles des personnes âgées.
    (We used to be moved to compassion by the difficult living conditions of the elderly.)

In all these examples, the verb “apitoyer” is used in the imparfait tense to describe a recurring or ongoing action in the past that evoked a feeling of compassion or pity.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of apitoyer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je apitoyais J’apitoyais les passants. I pitied the passersby.
tu apitoyais Tu apitoyais les animaux abandonnés. You pitied the abandoned animals.
il apitoyait Il apitoyait ses ennemis. He pitied his enemies.
elle apitoyait Elle apitoyait les victimes. She pitied the victims.
on apitoyait On apitoyait les défavorisés. We pitied the disadvantaged.
nous apitoyions Nous apitoyions les personnes dans le besoin. We pitied the people in need.
vous apitoyiez Vous apitoyiez les personnes âgées. You pitied the elderly.
ils apitoyaient Ils apitoyaient les enfants maltraités. They pitied the mistreated children.
elles apitoyaient Elles apitoyaient les sans-abri. They pitied the homeless.

Other Conjugations for Apitoyer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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