Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb boiter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb boiter

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The English translation of the French verb boiter is “to limp.” The infinitive form “boiter” is pronounced as “bwah-tey”.

The verb boiter has its language origin in the Latin word “battuere” which means “to beat.” In everyday French, it is often used in the imparfait tense to describe an ongoing or repetitive action in the past.

Here are three examples of boiter in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je boitais à cause d’une blessure à la cheville.
    (When I was young, I used to limp because of an ankle injury.)

  2. Tous les matins, il boitait en se levant, mais ça s’améliorait au cours de la journée.
    (Every morning, he used to limp when getting up, but it would improve throughout the day.)

  3. Pendant notre randonnée, ma sœur boitait légèrement à cause de ses ampoules.
    (During our hike, my sister was limping slightly because of her blisters.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of boiter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je boitais Je boitais avec une béquille. I was limping with a crutch.
tu boitais Tu boitais quand tu étais jeune. You were limping when you were young.
il boitait Il boitait à cause d’une blessure. He was limping because of an injury.
elle boitait Elle boitait après sa chute. She was limping after her fall.
on boitait On boitait en marchant vite. We were limping while walking fast.
nous boitions Nous boitions vers le lac. We were limping towards the lake.
vous boitiez Vous boitiez en raison de la douleur. You were limping due to the pain.
ils boitaient Ils boitaient ensemble. They were limping together.
elles boitaient Elles boitaient après l’accident. They were limping after the accident.

Other Conjugations for Boiter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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