Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb biller

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb biller

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The English translation of the French verb “biller” is “to invoice” or “to bill.” The infinitive form “biller” is pronounced as [bi.je].

“Biller” originated from the Latin word “bulla,” meaning “seal” or “stamp.” In everyday French, “biller” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe the act of invoicing or billing in the past. It is often used when referring to regular or habitual actions that occurred in the past.

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

  1. Chaque mois, je billais mes clients pour les services rendus.
    (Every month, I used to invoice my clients for the services provided.)

  2. Pendant des années, l’entreprise billait ses fournisseurs de manière ponctuelle.
    (For years, the company would bill its suppliers promptly.)

  3. Quand j’étais à mon ancien emploi, je billais les clients tous les vendredis.
    (When I was at my previous job, I used to bill the clients every Friday.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, often with no specific beginning or end.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of biller

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je billais Je billais souvent. I used to bill often.
tu billais Tu billais en silence. You used to bill silently.
il billait Il billait avec enthousiasme. He used to bill enthusiastically.
elle billait Elle billait avec précision. She used to bill accurately.
on billait On billait ensemble. We used to bill together.
nous billions Nous billions rapidement. We used to bill quickly.
vous billiez Vous billiez calmement. You used to bill calmly.
ils billaient Ils billaient joyeusement. They used to bill happily.
elles billaient Elles billaient efficacement. They used to bill efficiently.

Other Conjugations for Biller.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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