Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb boulonner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb boulonner

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The English translation of the French verb “boulonner” is “to bolt” or “to fasten with bolts.” The infinitive form “boulonner” is pronounced as “boo-loh-nay.”

“Boulonner” has its origins in the French noun “boulon,” meaning “bolt.” It is a regular -er verb derived from this noun.

In everyday French, “boulonner” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It is commonly used when talking about mechanical or construction-related activities.

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

  1. Chaque jour, il boulonnait les pièces du moteur. (Every day, he was bolting the engine parts.)
  2. Ils boulonnaient les poutres pour renforcer la structure. (They were bolting the beams to strengthen the structure.)
  3. Pendant des années, nous boulonnions ces machines ensemble. (For years, we were bolting these machines together.)

Note: The translations provided are direct and may vary depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of boulonner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je boulonnais Je boulonnais les planches. I was bolting the planks.
tu boulonnais Tu boulonnais les écrous. You were bolting the nuts.
il boulonnait Il boulonnait le moteur. He was bolting the engine.
elle boulonnait Elle boulonnait la charpente. She was bolting the structure.
on boulonnait On boulonnait le métal. We were bolting the metal.
nous boulonnions Nous boulonnions les pièces. We were bolting the parts.
vous boulonniez Vous boulonniez les vis. You were bolting the screws.
ils boulonnaient Ils boulonnaient l’équipement. They were bolting the equipment.
elles boulonnaient Elles boulonnaient les poutres. They were bolting the beams.

Other Conjugations for Boulonner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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