Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb attarder

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb attarder

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The English translation of the French verb “attarder” is “to linger” or “to delay.” The infinitive form of attarder is pronounced as [a.taʁ.de].

The word “attarder” has its origins in the Latin word “tardus,” meaning slow or late. In everyday French, it is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. The imparfait tense is often used to set the scene or provide background information.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense:

  1. Je m’attardais souvent au parc – I used to linger often in the park.
  2. Nous nous attardions toujours chez notre grand-mère – We would always linger at our grandmother’s place.
  3. Les élèves s’attardaient en classe après les cours – The students would linger in the classroom after school.

Note: The English translations may vary based on the context, as the imparfait can have different interpretations in English.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of attarder

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je m’attardais Je m’attardais souvent. I used to linger often.
tu t’attardais Tu t’attardais devant la vitrine. You used to linger in front of the window.
il s’attardait Il s’attardait au café. He used to linger at the café.
elle s’attardait Elle s’attardait dans le parc. She used to linger in the park.
on s’attardait On s’attardait à la bibliothèque. We used to linger at the library.
nous nous attardions Nous nous attardions à table. We used to linger at the table.
vous vous attardiez Vous vous attardiez souvent. You used to linger often.
ils s’attardaient Ils s’attardaient dans la rue. They used to linger in the street.
elles s’attardaient Elles s’attardaient devant le magasin. They used to linger in front of the store.

Other Conjugations for Attarder.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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