Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb atermoyer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb atermoyer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of atermoyer. 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 “atermoyer” is “to procrastinate” or “to stall.” The infinitive form of atermoyer is pronounced as “ah-ter-mwah-yay.”

The word “atermoyer” has its origins in the Old French term “atermoier,” which means “to put off” or “to delay.” It comes from the combination of “a-” (which denotes an action in the opposite direction) and “termoier” (which means “to end” or “to finish”).

In everyday French, the verb “atermoyer” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions of procrastination or stalling in the past. It is used to express a temporary state or an action that was habitual or continuous in the past. Some examples of its usage in the imparfait tense include:

  1. Je les atermoyais en leur donnant des excuses.
    (I used to procrastinate by giving them excuses.)

  2. Nous atermoyions souvent avant de prendre une décision.
    (We used to stall often before making a decision.)

  3. Pendant mes études, j’atermoyais en faisant mes devoirs.
    (During my studies, I would procrastinate while doing my homework.)

English translations:

  1. I used to procrastinate by giving them excuses.
  2. We used to stall often before making a decision.
  3. During my studies, I would procrastinate while doing my homework.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of atermoyer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je atermoyais J’atermoyais devant la décision. I was hesitating in front of the decision.
tu atermoyais Tu atermoyais sans raison. You were hesitating for no reason.
il atermoyait Il atermoyait avant de répondre. He was hesitating before answering.
elle atermoyait Elle atermoyait pour prendre une décision. She was hesitating to make a decision.
on atermoyait On atermoyait devant le choix difficile. We were hesitating in front of the difficult choice.
nous atermoyions Nous atermoyions depuis longtemps. We were hesitating for a long time.
vous atermoyiez Vous atermoyiez avant de vous décider. You were hesitating before making up your mind.
ils atermoyaient Ils atermoyaient sans arrêt. They were hesitating constantly.
elles atermoyaient Elles atermoyaient devant le problème. They were hesitating in front of the problem.

Other Conjugations for Atermoyer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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