Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb assister

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb assister

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of assister. 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 “assister” is “to assist” or “to attend.” The infinitive form “assister” is pronounced as /a.si.ste/.

The verb “assister” in French originated from the Latin word “assistere,” meaning “to stand by or be present.” In everyday French, “assister” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to indicate ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

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

  1. Je l’assistais lors de ses séances de rééducation.
    (I used to assist him/her during his/her rehabilitation sessions.)
  2. Nous assistions régulièrement à leurs concerts.
    (We used to attend their concerts regularly.)
  3. Elles m’assistaient pendant mes études à l’université.
    (They used to help me out during my university studies.)

In these examples, the imparfait tense is used to describe past actions that were ongoing or habitual, highlighting the idea of continuous assistance or attendance.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of assister

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je assistais J’assistais au concert. I was attending the concert.
tu assistais Tu assistais aux réunions. You were attending the meetings.
il assistait Il assistait au spectacle. He was attending the show.
elle assistait Elle assistait à la conférence. She was attending the conference.
on assistait On assistait aux cours. We were attending the classes.
nous assistions Nous assistions aux matchs. We were attending the matches.
vous assistiez Vous assistiez au débat. You were attending the debate.
ils assistaient Ils assistaient aux entraînements. They were attending the trainings.
elles assistaient Elles assistaient aux représentations. They were attending the performances.

Other Conjugations for Assister.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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