Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb attribuer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb attribuer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of attribuer. 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 attribuer is “to attribute.” The infinitive form of attribuer is pronounced as “ah-tree-bweh.”

The word “attribuer” comes from the Latin word “attribuere,” meaning “to assign” or “to attribute.” In everyday French, attribuer is primarily used to describe the action of attributing or assigning something to someone or something else. It is often used in the context of giving credit or assigning responsibility.

Here are three simple examples of attribuer in the imparfait tense:

  1. Chaque année, on lui attribuait le titre du meilleur joueur de l’équipe.
    (Every year, they would attribute him the title of the team’s best player.)

  2. Pendant son discours, le président attribuait les réussites à l’ensemble de l’équipe.
    (During his speech, the president was attributing the successes to the whole team.)

  3. Elle attribuait son échec à un manque de soutien de la part de ses collègues.
    (She was attributing her failure to a lack of support from her colleagues.)

English translations:

  1. Every year, he was awarded the title of the team’s best player.
  2. During his speech, the president was attributing the successes to the entire team.
  3. She attributed her failure to a lack of support from her colleagues.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of attribuer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je attribuais J’attribuais les points. I was attributing the points.
tu attribuais Tu attribuais la responsabilité. You were attributing the responsibility.
il attribuait Il attribuait le mérite. He was attributing the merit.
elle attribuait Elle attribuait les récompenses. She was attributing the rewards.
on attribuait On attribuait les rôles. We were attributing the roles.
nous attribuions Nous attribuions les tâches. We were attributing the tasks.
vous attribuiez Vous attribuiez les valeurs. You were attributing the values.
ils attribuaient Ils attribuaient les compétences. They were attributing the skills.
elles attribuaient Elles attribuaient les qualités. They were attributing the qualities.

Other Conjugations for Attribuer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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