Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb blatérer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb blatérer

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The English translation of the French verb “blatérer” is “to bleat”. The infinitive form, “blatérer,” is pronounced as “blah-teh-ray.”

“Blatérer” comes from the Latin word “blaterāre,” meaning “to babble” or “to bleat.” In everyday French, it is most commonly used to describe the sound made by sheep or goats, resembling a bleating noise. It can also be used figuratively to express the idea of incoherent or nonsensical speech.

Examples of “blatérer” in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Les moutons blatéraient dans le champ tous les soirs.
    (The sheep were bleating in the field every evening.)

  2. Quand j’étais enfant, je me souviens que les chèvres blatéraient pendant nos promenades à la ferme.
    (When I was a child, I remember the goats bleating during our farm walks.)

  3. Pendant la nuit, nous entendions les moutons qui blatéraient dans la vallée.
    (During the night, we could hear the sheep bleating in the valley.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of blatérer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je blatérais Je blatérais sans cesse. I used to blather incessantly.
tu blatérais Tu blatérais des bêtises. You used to blather nonsense.
il blatérait Il blatérait sans comprendre. He used to blather without understanding.
elle blatérait Elle blatérait sans arrêt. She used to blather nonstop.
on blatérait On blatérait sur tout. We used to blather about everything.
nous blatérions Nous blatérions pendant des heures. We used to blather for hours.
vous blatériez Vous blatériez avec enthousiasme. You used to blather enthusiastically.
ils blatéraient Ils blatéraient sans réfléchir. They used to blather without thinking.
elles blatéraient Elles blatéraient sans interruption. They used to blather without interruption.

Other Conjugations for Blatérer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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