Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bénéficier

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bénéficier

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The English translation of the French verb bénéficier is “to benefit.” The infinitive form, bénéficier, is pronounced as “beh-neh-fis-yay.”

The verb bénéficier derives from the Latin word “beneficium,” which means “favor” or “benefit.” It is most often used in everyday French to express the idea of receiving advantages, benefits, or privileges.

In the imperfect tense, bénéficier is commonly used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je bénéficiais d’une réduction tous les mois.
    (I used to benefit from a discount every month.)

  2. Nous bénéficiions d’une bonne ambiance de travail.
    (We were benefiting from a good working atmosphere.)

  3. Vous bénéficiiez d’une aide financière régulière.
    (You were benefiting from regular financial assistance.)

These examples highlight the use of bénéficier in the imparfait tense to express continuous or habitual actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of bénéficier

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je bénéficiais Je bénéficiais de son aide. I was benefiting from his help.
tu bénéficiais Tu bénéficiais de cette offre. You were benefiting from this offer.
il bénéficiait Il bénéficiait de la promotion. He was benefiting from the promotion.
elle bénéficiait Elle bénéficiait de leur soutien. She was benefiting from their support.
on bénéficiait On bénéficiait de la réduction. We were benefiting from the discount.
nous bénéficiions Nous bénéficiions de ses conseils. We were benefiting from his advice.
vous bénéficiiez Vous bénéficiiez de cette opportunité. You were benefiting from this opportunity.
ils bénéficiaient Ils bénéficiaient de cette mesure. They were benefiting from this measure.
elles bénéficiaient Elles bénéficiaient de ce programme. They were benefiting from this program.

Other Conjugations for Bénéficier.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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