Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb associer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb associer

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The English translation of the French verb “associer” is “to associate” or “to link.” The infinitive form “associer” is pronounced as “ah-so-see-ey.”

The verb “associer” originates from the Latin word “associare,” meaning “to join together.” In everyday French, “associer” is commonly used to express the action of linking or connecting things, ideas, or people. It can also imply the act of combining or associating two or more elements.

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

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, j’associais toujours le rouge au feu. (When I was a child, I would always associate red with fire.)
  2. Ils associaient souvent les deux entreprises pour leurs projets commerciaux. (They would often associate the two companies for their business projects.)
  3. Tu t’associais à moi dans toutes mes aventures. (You used to associate yourself with me in all my adventures.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, emotions or states of being, or to set the scene in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of associer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je associais J’associais les couleurs. I was associating the colors.
tu associais Tu associas les idées. You were associating the ideas.
il associait Il associait les mots. He was associating the words.
elle associait Elle associait les images. She was associating the images.
on associait On associait les concepts. We were associating the concepts.
nous associions Nous associions les informations. We were associating the information.
vous associiez Vous associiez les personnes. You were associating the people.
ils associaient Ils associaient les objets. They were associating the objects.
elles associaient Elles associaient les idées. They were associating the ideas.

Other Conjugations for Associer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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