Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cabrer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cabrer

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The English translation of the French verb “cabrer” is “to rear up” or “to buck” (as in when a horse rears up on its hind legs). The infinitive form “cabrer” is pronounced as “kah-bray.”

The word “cabrer” has its origins in the Latin word “caprare,” meaning “to leap like a goat.” In everyday French, it is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

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

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, mon cheval cabrait souvent. (When I was young, my horse would often rear up.)
  2. Tous les matins, le cheval de mon voisin cabrait bruyamment. (Every morning, my neighbor’s horse would buck loudly.)
  3. Pendant l’été dernier, les chevaux du ranch cabraient dans le pré. (During last summer, the horses on the ranch would rear up in the meadow.)

Please note that the imparfait tense in French is commonly used to describe ongoing actions or habits in the past, and the translations provided reflect that usage.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cabrer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cabrais Je cabrais le cheval. I was rearing the horse.
tu cabrais Tu cabrais trop souvent. You were rearing too often.
il cabrait Il cabrait facilement. He was rearing easily.
elle cabrait Elle cabrait avec grâce. She was rearing gracefully.
on cabrait On cabrait en compétition. We were rearing in competition.
nous cabrions Nous cabrions ensemble. We were rearing together.
vous cabriez Vous cabriez les chevaux. You were rearing the horses.
ils cabraient Ils cabraient fréquemment. They were rearing frequently.
elles cabraient Elles cabraient devant la foule. They were rearing in front of the crowd.

Other Conjugations for Cabrer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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