Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb authentiquer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb authentiquer

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The English translation of the French verb “authentiquer” is “to authenticate.” The infinitive form, “authentiquer,” is pronounced as oh-tah-teh-nee-kay.

The word “authentiquer” has its origins in the Latin word “authenticus,” meaning “genuine” or “original.” In everyday French, it is commonly used in its infinitive or conjugated forms to refer to the act of verifying or certifying the authenticity of something. It is often used in legal, administrative, or official contexts.

Examples of “authentiquer” in the imparfait tense:

  1. Nous authentiquions les documents avant de les transmettre. (We used to authenticate the documents before sending them.)
  2. Les agents d’immigration authentiquaient les passeports des voyageurs. (The immigration officers used to authenticate the passports of the travelers.)
  3. Elle authentiquait chaque œuvre d’art avant de la mettre en vente. (She used to authenticate each artwork before putting it up for sale.)

English translations:

  1. We used to authenticate the documents before sending them.
  2. The immigration officers used to authenticate the passports of the travelers.
  3. She used to authenticate each artwork before putting it up for sale.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of authentiquer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je authentiquais J’authentiquais le document. I was authenticating the document.
tu authentiquais Tu authentiquais ton identité. You were authenticating your identity.
il authentiquait Il authentiquait les informations. He was authenticating the information.
elle authentiquait Elle authentiquait ses sources. She was authenticating her sources.
on authentiquait On authentiquait les transactions. We were authenticating the transactions.
nous authentiquions Nous authentiquions les factures. We were authenticating the invoices.
vous authentiquiez Vous authentiquiez les signatures. You were authenticating the signatures.
ils authentiquaient Ils authentiquaient les documents. They were authenticating the documents.
elles authentiquaient Elles authentiquaient les preuves. They were authenticating the evidence.

Other Conjugations for Authentiquer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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