Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bagouler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bagouler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of bagouler. 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 bagouler is “to swagger” or “to strut.” The infinitive form of bagouler is pronounced as “bah-goo-lay.”

The word bagouler comes from the French noun “bagou,” which refers to someone who has a way with words or is skilled at persuasive speech. In everyday French, bagouler is often used in the imparfait tense to describe someone strutting or swaggering in a confident and boastful manner.

Here are three examples of bagouler used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Il bagoulait dans la rue en racontant ses exploits. (He used to strut down the street, bragging about his accomplishments.)
  2. Nous le voyions bagouler lorsqu’il parlait de son succès. (We used to see him swaggering when he talked about his success.)
  3. Les politiciens bagoulaient sur scène pour gagner la confiance du public. (The politicians used to strut on stage to gain the public’s trust.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated past actions or states.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of bagouler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je bagoulais Je bagoulais souvent. I used to chat a lot.
tu bagoulais Tu bagoulais avec lui. You used to chat with him.
il bagoulait Il bagoulait devant le miroir. He used to chat in front of the mirror.
elle bagoulait Elle bagoulait toute la journée. She used to chat all day.
on bagoulait On bagoulait en classe. We used to chat in class.
nous bagoulions Nous bagoulions au téléphone. We used to chat on the phone.
vous bagouliez Vous bagouliez en ligne. You used to chat online.
ils bagoulaient Ils bagoulaient en secret. They used to chat in secret.
elles bagoulaient Elles bagoulaient entre elles. They used to chat with each other.

Other Conjugations for Bagouler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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