Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cabaler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cabaler

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The English translation of the French verb “cabaler” is “to scheme” or “to plot.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “cabaler” is [ka-ba-le].

The word “cabaler” has its origins in the French noun “cabale,” which refers to a secret plot or conspiracy. The verb “cabaler” comes from this noun and is commonly used in everyday French to express the act of scheming or plotting.

In the imparfait tense, “cabaler” is often used to describe ongoing or habitual scheming in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Chaque soir, il cabalait pour prendre le contrôle de l’entreprise.
    (Every evening, he used to scheme to take control of the company.)

  2. Nous cabalions pour trouver une solution à notre problème.
    (We were scheming to find a solution to our problem.)

  3. Pendant des années, ils cabalaient pour évincer leur rival politique.
    (For years, they were plotting to oust their political rival.)

Note: The English translations provided may not capture the full context or nuance of the original French sentences, but they aim to convey the basic meaning.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cabaler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cabalais Je cabalais pour gagner. I was scheming to win.
tu cabalais Tu cabalais depuis longtemps. You were scheming for a long time.
il cabalait Il cabalait sans relâche. He was scheming relentlessly.
elle cabalait Elle cabalait pour réussir. She was scheming to succeed.
on cabalait On cabalait en secret. We were scheming in secret.
nous cabalions Nous cabalions ensemble. We were scheming together.
vous cabaliez Vous cabaliez discrètement. You were scheming discreetly.
ils cabalaient Ils cabalaient pour obtenir un avantage. They were scheming to gain an advantage.
elles cabalaient Elles cabalaient depuis longtemps. They were scheming for a long time.

Other Conjugations for Cabaler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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