Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bagotter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bagotter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of bagotter. 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 bagotter is “to loaf” or “to laze around.” The infinitive form “bagotter” is pronounced as [ba-got-ay].

The word “bagotter” is derived from the French noun “bagot,” which refers to a young sheep. It originated from the Occitan language (spoken in southern France) and was later integrated into everyday French. In modern usage, “bagotter” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe someone being idle, lazy, or engaging in unproductive activities.

Here are three examples of “bagotter” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque été, nous bagottions sur la plage toute la journée.
    (Every summer, we used to loaf on the beach all day.)

  2. Quand j’étais ado, je bagottais devant la télévision au lieu de faire mes devoirs.
    (When I was a teenager, I used to laze around in front of the television instead of doing my homework.)

  3. Ils bagottaient au parc, sans se soucier du temps qui passait.
    (They used to laze around in the park, without caring about the passing time.)

These examples illustrate the usage of “bagotter” in the imparfait tense, indicating a repeated or ongoing action in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of bagotter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je bagottais Je bagottais chaque matin. I used to grumble every morning.
tu bagottais Tu bagottais souvent. You used to grumble often.
il bagottait Il bagottait devant la télé. He used to grumble in front of the TV.
elle bagottait Elle bagottait sans arrêt. She used to grumble non-stop.
on bagottait On bagottait pendant le voyage. We used to grumble during the trip.
nous bagottions Nous bagottions en marchant. We used to grumble while walking.
vous bagottiez Vous bagottiez tout le temps. You used to grumble all the time.
ils bagottaient Ils bagottaient ensemble. They used to grumble together.
elles bagottaient Elles bagottaient sans raison. They used to grumble for no reason.

Other Conjugations for Bagotter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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