Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bégueter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bégueter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of bégueter. 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 “bégueter” is “to bleat.” The infinitive form of “bégueter” is pronounced as “beɡte.”

“Bégueter” originates from the Old French word “bequetier” which means “to bleat like a goat or sheep.” It is primarily used to describe the sound made by sheep or goats.

In everyday French, the verb “bégueter” is most commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It sets the scene or describes the background of a specific event or situation.

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

  1. Les moutons béguaient paisiblement dans le pré. (The sheep were bleating peacefully in the meadow.)
  2. Chaque matin, la chèvre de la ferme voisine béguetait devant ma fenêtre. (Every morning, the neighbor’s goat would bleat in front of my window.)
  3. Quand j’étais enfant, j’aimais écouter les agneaux bégueter dans la bergerie. (When I was a child, I loved listening to the lambs bleat in the sheepfold.)

Note: The translations provided are not literal word-for-word translations, but rather contextually appropriate translations.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of bégueter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je béguetais Je béguetais souvent. I used to stutter often.
tu béguétais Tu béguétais quand tu étais nerveux. You used to stutter when you were nervous.
il béguétait Il béguétait depuis son enfance. He used to stutter since childhood.
elle béguétait Elle béguétait lorsqu’elle était stressée. She used to stutter when she was stressed.
on béguétait On béguétait en public. We used to stutter in public.
nous béguétions Nous béguétions en classe. We used to stutter in class.
vous béguétiez Vous béguétiez gentiment. You used to stutter gently.
ils béguétaient Ils béguétaient souvent ensemble. They used to stutter together.
elles béguétaient Elles béguétaient en public. They used to stutter in public.

Other Conjugations for Bégueter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the bégueter imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply