Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cabrioler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cabrioler

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The English translation of the French verb “cabrioler” is “to frolic” or “to prance.” The infinitive form of “cabrioler” is pronounced as “ka-bree-oh-lay.”

The word “cabrioler” comes from the noun “cabriole,” which means “a caper” or “a leap.” It originated from the Italian word “capriola,” which also means “a caper” or “a leap.”

In everyday French, the verb “cabrioler” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense along with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je cabriolais dans le jardin tous les jours.
    (When I was young, I used to frolic in the garden every day.)

  2. Les enfants cabriolaient joyeusement sur le trampoline.
    (The children were frolicking happily on the trampoline.)

  3. Pendant les vacances, nous cabriolions sur la plage toute la journée.
    (During the holidays, we used to prance on the beach all day.)

Please note that the translations provided here are simple interpretations and may vary based on the context and intended meaning.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cabrioler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cabriolais Je cabriolais dans la prairie. I was frolicking in the meadow.
tu cabriolais Tu cabriolais joyeusement. You were frolicking happily.
il cabriolait Il cabriolait avec ses amis. He was frolicking with his friends.
elle cabriolait Elle cabriolait comme un enfant. She was frolicking like a child.
on cabriolait On cabriolait dans les rues. We were frolicking in the streets.
nous cabriolions Nous cabriolions au parc. We were frolicking in the park.
vous cabrioliez Vous cabrioliez avec élégance. You were frolicking gracefully.
ils cabriolaient Ils cabriolaient joyeusement. They were frolicking happily.
elles cabriolaient Elles cabriolaient dans la cour. They were frolicking in the courtyard.

Other Conjugations for Cabrioler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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