Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caboter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb caboter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of caboter. 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 “caboter” is “to coast” or “to sail along the coast.” The infinitive form, “caboter,” is pronounced as [ka.bo.te].

The word “caboter” originated from the Old French term “cabot,” which referred to a small boat used for coastal navigation. It is primarily used in everyday French in the imparfait tense to describe an ongoing or repeated action in the past. This tense is commonly used to set the scene or describe background actions in narratives.

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

  1. Pendant les vacances, nous cabotions le long de la côte atlantique.
    (During the holidays, we would coast along the Atlantic coast.)
  2. Chaque été, les pêcheurs du village cabotaient pour chercher le meilleur spot de pêche.
    (Every summer, the fishermen from the village would sail along the coast to find the best fishing spot.)
  3. Quand j’étais enfant, nous cabotions près de l’île tous les dimanches.
    (When I was a child, we used to coast near the island every Sunday.)

Note: The translations provided are not literal, but aim to convey the meaning in English.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of caboter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cabotais Je cabotais le long de la côte. I used to coastal sail.
tu cabotais Tu cabotais vers les îles. You used to coastal sail towards the islands.
il cabotait Il cabotait près du rivage. He used to coastal sail near the shore.
elle cabotait Elle cabotait au large. She used to coastal sail offshore.
on cabotait On cabotait tous les weekends. We used to coastal sail every weekend.
nous cabotions Nous cabotions en Méditerranée. We used to coastal sail in the Mediterranean.
vous cabotiez Vous cabotiez en Bretagne. You used to coastal sail in Brittany.
ils cabotaient Ils cabotaient le long de la rivière. They used to coastal sail along the river.
elles cabotaient Elles cabotaient dans le golfe. They used to coastal sail in the gulf.

Other Conjugations for Caboter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the caboter imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply