Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb autoguider

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb autoguider

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of autoguider. 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 “autoguider” is “to self-guide.” The infinitive form “autoguider” is pronounced as [oh-toh-gee-dey].

“Autoguider” is a compound verb formed by combining the prefix “auto-” (meaning self) with the verb “guider” (meaning to guide). It is primarily used in the field of astronomy to refer to the process of using a device or system to automatically guide a telescope during long-exposure photography.

In everyday French, when used in the imparfait tense (imperfect tense), “autoguider” would typically be part of a description or narrative in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je l’autoguidais toutes les nuits.
    (I used to self-guide it every night.)

  2. Pendant des années, nous l’autoguidions pour capturer les étoiles.
    (For years, we used to self-guide it to capture the stars.)

  3. Ils autoguidaient leurs télescopes lors des séances d’observation.
    (They used to self-guide their telescopes during observation sessions.)

Please note that these translations are not word-for-word, but aim to convey the meaning and context of the sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of autoguider

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je autoguidais J’autoguidais ma voiture. I was self-guiding my car.
tu autoguidais Tu autoguidais ton drone. You were self-guiding your drone.
il autoguidait Il autoguidait le navire. He was self-guiding the ship.
elle autoguidait Elle autoguidait l’avion. She was self-guiding the plane.
on autoguidait On autoguidait les robots. We were self-guiding the robots.
nous autoguidions Nous autoguidions nos vélos. We were self-guiding our bikes.
vous autoguidiez Vous autoguidiez votre caméra. You were self-guiding your camera.
ils autoguidaient Ils autoguidaient les missiles. They were self-guiding the missiles.
elles autoguidaient Elles autoguidaient les voitures autonomes. They were self-guiding the autonomous cars.

Other Conjugations for Autoguider.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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