Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb baréter

Introduction to the verb baréter

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The English translation of the French verb “baréter” is “to chat” or “to gossip.” The infinitive form “baréter” is pronounced as [ba.ʁe.te].

The word “baréter” originated from the Old French word “bailler,” meaning “to talk, chat.” Over time, it evolved into the verb “baréter” with a similar meaning. In everyday French, it is commonly used to describe engaging in a casual conversation or gossiping.

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

  1. Nous barétions souvent à la pause déjeuner.
    (We used to chat often during lunch break.)

  2. Pendant nos promenades, nous barétions sur tout et n’importe quoi.
    (During our walks, we would chat about anything and everything.)

  3. Quand j’étais jeune, nous barétions des heures au téléphone.
    (When I was young, we used to chat on the phone for hours.)

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

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of baréter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je barétais Je barétais souvent. I used to bargain often.
tu barétais Tu barétais pour un meilleur prix. You used to bargain for a better price.
il barétait Il barétait avec les vendeurs. He used to bargain with the sellers.
elle barétait Elle barétait pour obtenir une réduction. She used to bargain to get a discount.
on barétait On barétait toute la journée. We used to bargain all day.
nous barétions Nous barétions ensemble. We used to bargain together.
vous barétiez Vous barétiez avec habileté. You used to bargain skillfully.
ils barétaient Ils barétaient dans les marchés. They used to bargain in the markets.
elles barétaient Elles barétaient pour de bonnes affaires. They used to bargain for good deals.

Other Conjugations for Baréter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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