Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bâfrer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bâfrer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of bâfrer. 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 bâfrer is “to stuff oneself” or “to gorge.” The infinitive form, bâfrer, is pronounced as “boh-fray.”

Bâfrer has its origins in the Old French word “bafrer,” which meant “to open one’s mouth wide.” It is derived from the Vulgar Latin word “baffrum,” meaning “large mouth.” In everyday French, bâfrer is used primarily in an informal context to describe the act of eating excessively or voraciously.

Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their respective English translations:

  1. Tous les soirs, je bâfrais devant la télévision.
    (Every evening, I used to stuff myself in front of the television.)

  2. Quand j’étais en vacances, je bâfrais au restaurant tous les jours.
    (When I was on vacation, I used to gorge at the restaurant every day.)

  3. Pendant mon adolescence, je bâfrais de bonbons à longueur de journée.
    (During my adolescence, I used to stuff myself with candy all day long.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used in French to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of bâfrer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je bâfrais Je bâfrais tous les jours. I used to overeat every day.
tu bâfrais Tu bâfrais comme un glouton. You used to eat like a glutton.
il bâfrait Il bâfrait sans se soucier des conséquences. He used to gorge himself without caring about the consequences.
elle bâfrait Elle bâfrait pendant les fêtes. She used to stuff herself during holidays.
on bâfrait On bâfrait comme si c’était la dernière fois. We used to pig out as if it was our last time.
nous bâfrions Nous bâfrions en famille le dimanche. We used to stuff ourselves as a family on Sundays.
vous bâfriez Vous bâfriez sans prendre de pause. You used to stuff yourselves without taking a break.
ils bâfraient Ils bâfraient à chaque repas. They used to overeat at every meal.
elles bâfraient Elles bâfraient en cachette. They used to gorge themselves in secret.

Other Conjugations for Bâfrer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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