Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb atomiser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb atomiser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of atomiser. 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 “atomiser” is “to atomize” or “to spray.” The infinitive form of the verb “atomiser” is pronounced as “ah-tow-mee-zay.”

The word “atomiser” is derived from the noun “atome” (atom) and the suffix “-iser” (which is used to create a verb from a noun). In everyday French, “atomiser” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe continuous or habitual actions in the past.

Here are three examples of “atomiser” used in the imparfait tense:

  1. Je l’atomisais tous les matins avec mon parfum préféré.
    (I used to spray it every morning with my favorite perfume.)

  2. Tu atomisais les plantes avec de l’eau chaque soir.
    (You used to spray the plants with water every evening.)

  3. Il atomisait le nettoyant sur les vitres pendant des heures.
    (He used to atomize the cleaner on the windows for hours.)

English translations:

  1. I used to spray it every morning with my favorite perfume.
  2. You used to spray the plants with water every evening.
  3. He used to atomize the cleaner on the windows for hours.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of atomiser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je atomisais J’atomisais les mauvaises herbes. I was spraying the weeds.
tu atomisais Tu atomisais la plante. You were spraying the plant.
il atomisait Il atomisait son parfum. He was spraying his perfume.
elle atomisait Elle atomisait la pièce. She was spraying the room.
on atomisait On atomisait les insectes. We were spraying the insects.
nous atomisions Nous atomisions la voiture. We were spraying the car.
vous atomisiez Vous atomisiez vos cheveux. You were spraying your hair.
ils atomisaient Ils atomisaient le produit. They were spraying the product.
elles atomisaient Elles atomisaient le désodorisant. They were spraying the air freshener.

Other Conjugations for Atomiser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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