Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cabosser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cabosser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of cabosser. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb “cabosser” is “to dent” or “to damage.” The infinitive form of “cabosser” is pronounced as [ka.bo.se].

The verb “cabosser” comes from the Old French word “caboce” which means “head” or “skull.” It is derived from the Latin word “caput” with the same meaning. In everyday French, “cabosser” is often used to describe the action of causing a dent or damage to an object or surface.

Examples of its usage in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je cabossais souvent les voitures avec mon ballon.
    (When I was a child, I used to dent cars with my ball.)

  2. Ils cabossaient régulièrement la porte du garage en la refermant trop fort.
    (They would regularly dent the garage door by closing it too forcefully.)

  3. Pendant l’accident, la voiture a été cabossée de tous les côtés.
    (During the accident, the car was dented on all sides.)

Please note that the imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past and can be translated to the English equivalent of “used to” or “was/were -ing.”

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cabosser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cabossais Je cabossais la voiture. I was denting the car.
tu cabossais Tu cabossais la porte. You were denting the door.
il cabossait Il cabossait le capot. He was denting the hood.
elle cabossait Elle cabossait la carrosserie. She was denting the bodywork.
on cabossait On cabossait les côtés. We were denting the sides.
nous cabossions Nous cabossions le toit. We were denting the roof.
vous cabossiez Vous cabossiez les pare-chocs. You were denting the bumpers.
ils cabossaient Ils cabossaient les portières. They were denting the doors.
elles cabossaient Elles cabossaient le coffre. They were denting the trunk.

Other Conjugations for Cabosser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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