Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bichonner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bichonner

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The English translation of the French verb “bichonner” is “to pamper” or “to dote on.” The infinitive form “bichonner” is pronounced as [bee-sho-nay].

The word “bichonner” has uncertain origins, but it is believed to be derived from the noun “bichon,” which refers to a small dog breed known for being pampered and well-groomed. In everyday French, “bichonner” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

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

  1. Je bichonnais mon jardin tous les jours.
    (I used to pamper my garden every day.)
  2. Elle bichonnait ses cheveux pendant des heures.
    (She used to dote on her hair for hours.)
  3. Nous bichonnions notre chien comme un membre de la famille.
    (We used to pamper our dog as a family member.)

In these examples, the imparfait tense conveys the idea of ongoing or repeated actions in the past, highlighting the act of pampering or doting on something or someone.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of bichonner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je bichonnais Je bichonnais ma voiture. I used to pamper my car.
tu bichonnais Tu bichonnais ton animal de compagnie. You used to pamper your pet.
il bichonnait Il bichonnait sa maison. He used to pamper his house.
elle bichonnait Elle bichonnait ses plantes. She used to pamper her plants.
on bichonnait On bichonnait nos cheveux. We used to pamper our hair.
nous bichonnions Nous bichonnions nos meubles. We used to pamper our furniture.
vous bichonniez Vous bichonniez votre jardin. You used to pamper your garden.
ils bichonnaient Ils bichonnaient leurs instruments de musique. They used to pamper their musical instruments.
elles bichonnaient Elles bichonnaient leurs vêtements. They used to pamper their clothes.

Other Conjugations for Bichonner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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