Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb briguer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb briguer

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The English translation of the French verb “briguer” is “to seek” or “to aspire to.” The infinitive form of “briguer” is pronounced as [bʁi.ɡe].

The word “briguer” comes from the Old French term “briguer,” which means “to strive for” or “to solicit.” It has its origins in the Latin word “briga,” which refers to quarrel or conflict. In everyday French, “briguer” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to express ongoing or repeated actions or desires in the past.

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

  1. Je briguais devenir médecin.
    (I aspired to become a doctor.)

  2. Tu briguais toujours gagner le premier prix.
    (You always sought to win the first prize.)

  3. Nous briguiions la réussite dans nos études.
    (We sought success in our studies.)

In these examples, the imparfait tense conveys ongoing or repeated aspirations or desires in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of briguer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je briguais Je briguais le poste. I was competing for the position.
tu briguais Tu briguais la victoire. You were seeking victory.
il briguait Il briguait le titre. He was vying for the title.
elle briguait Elle briguait la première place. She was aiming for first place.
on briguait On briguait la récompense. We were pursuing the reward.
nous briguions Nous briguions le trophée. We were coveting the trophy.
vous briguiez Vous briguiez le pouvoir. You were seeking power.
ils briguaient Ils briguaient le poste. They were competing for the position.
elles briguaient Elles briguaient la médaille. They were vying for the medal.

Other Conjugations for Briguer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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