Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb argumenter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb argumenter

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The English translation of the French verb “argumenter” is “to argue” or “to present an argument.” The infinitive form “argumenter” is pronounced as “ar-gu-men-teh.”

The verb “argumenter” comes from the Latin word “argumentare” meaning “to prove” or “to demonstrate.” In everyday French usage, “argumenter” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to express continuous or habitual actions in the past.

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

  1. J’argumentais souvent avec mon frère.
    (I used to argue frequently with my brother.)

  2. Nous argumentions toujours sur les mêmes sujets.
    (We would always argue about the same topics.)

  3. Tu argumentais très bien lors des débats.
    (You used to argue very well during debates.)

Note: The translations provided are not word-for-word, but rather convey the meaning and tense of the sentence.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of argumenter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je argumentais J’argumentais souvent. I used to argue often.
tu argumentais Tu argumentais bien. You used to argue well.
il argumentait Il argumentait avec conviction. He used to argue convincingly.
elle argumentait Elle argumentait ses points. She used to argue her points.
on argumentait On argumentait pour notre cause. We used to argue for our cause.
nous argumentions Nous argumentions sans relâche. We used to argue tirelessly.
vous argumentiez Vous argumentiez avec force. You used to argue forcefully.
ils argumentaient Ils argumentaient avec passion. They used to argue passionately.
elles argumentaient Elles argumentaient leurs opinions. They used to argue their opinions.

Other Conjugations for Argumenter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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