Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bouillonner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bouillonner

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The English translation of the French verb “bouillonner” is “to boil” or “to bubble.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “bouillonner” is “boo-yoh-nay.”

The verb “bouillonner” is derived from the noun “bouillon,” which means “broth” or “stock.” It belongs to the first group of -er verbs in French. In everyday French, “bouillonner” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or continuous actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of “bouillonner” used in the imparfait tense:

  1. Les idées bouillonnaient dans sa tête.
    English translation: Ideas were bubbling in his/her head.
    Explanation: This sentence denotes someone experiencing a continuous flow of thoughts.

  2. La foule bouillonnait d’excitation.
    English translation: The crowd was boiling with excitement.
    Explanation: This example conveys the idea of a crowd being lively and energetic with excitement.

  3. La marmite bouillonnait doucement sur le feu.
    English translation: The pot was simmering gently on the stove.
    Explanation: This sentence describes the gentle boiling or simmering of a pot on the stove.

In all these examples, the imparfait tense is used to portray actions or states that were ongoing or in progress in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of bouillonner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je bouillonnais Je bouillonnais de colère. I was seething with anger.
tu bouillonnais Tu bouillonnais d’excitation. You were bubbling with excitement.
il bouillonnait Il bouillonnait de frustration. He was boiling with frustration.
elle bouillonnait Elle bouillonnait d’impatience. She was boiling with impatience.
on bouillonnait On bouillonnait de joie. We were boiling with joy.
nous bouillions Nous bouillions d’énergie. We were boiling with energy.
vous bouillonniez Vous bouillonniez de créativité. You were boiling with creativity.
ils bouillonnaient Ils bouillonnaient de rage. They were boiling with anger.
elles bouillonnaient Elles bouillonnaient de jalousie. They were boiling with jealousy.

Other Conjugations for Bouillonner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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