Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bastionner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bastionner

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The English translation of the French verb “bastionner” is “to fortify” or “to bolster.” The infinitive form of “bastionner” is pronounced as /bas.tjɔ.ne/.

The word “bastionner” comes from the noun “bastion,” which means “stronghold” or “bulwark.” It is derived from the Italian word “bastione,” which has the same meaning. In everyday French, “bastionner” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe actions or states in the past that were ongoing or habitual.

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

  1. Nous bastionnions nos défenses chaque nuit.
    (We used to fortify our defenses every night.)

  2. Ils bastionnaient leur position lorsque l’ennemi les attaquait.
    (They would fortify their position when the enemy attacked them.)

  3. Tu bastionnais ta résolution en te rappelant tes objectifs.
    (You used to bolster your determination by recalling your goals.)

In these examples, “bastionner” is used to describe the habitual or ongoing action of fortifying or bolstering.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of bastionner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je bastionnais Je bastionnais la défense. I was fortifying the defense.
tu bastionnais Tu bastionnais les murs. You were fortifying the walls.
il bastionnait Il bastionnait le château. He was fortifying the castle.
elle bastionnait Elle bastionnait la forteresse. She was fortifying the fortress.
on bastionnait On bastionnait les remparts. We were fortifying the ramparts.
nous bastionnions Nous bastionnions la ville. We were fortifying the city.
vous bastionniez Vous bastionniez le bastion. You were fortifying the bastion.
ils bastionnaient Ils bastionnaient les frontières. They were fortifying the borders.
elles bastionnaient Elles bastionnaient les positions. They were fortifying the positions.

Other Conjugations for Bastionner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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