Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cadenasser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cadenasser

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The English translation of the French verb “cadenasser” is “to padlock” or “to lock up.” The infinitive form “cadenasser” is pronounced as kah-deh-nah-say.

The word “cadenasser” has its origins in the French word “cadenas,” which means “padlock.” It is a regular -er verb and is often used in everyday French to express the action of locking something securely with a padlock. The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three examples of “cadenasser” in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Nous cadenassions nos vélos chaque soir.
    (We used to padlock our bikes every evening.)

  2. Tu cadenassais toujours ton casier à l’école.
    (You would always lock up your locker at school.)

  3. Les commerçants cadenassaient leurs boutiques avant de partir.
    (The shopkeepers used to lock up their stores before leaving.)

These examples show how “cadenasser” is used in the imparfait tense to describe repeated or ongoing actions of locking up something securely with a padlock.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cadenasser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cadenassais Je cadenassais la porte. I was padlocking the door.
tu cadenassais Tu cadenassais ton vélo. You were padlocking your bike.
il cadenassait Il cadenassait l’armoire. He was padlocking the cupboard.
elle cadenassait Elle cadenassait son sac. She was padlocking her bag.
on cadenassait On cadenassait la grille. We were padlocking the gate.
nous cadenassions Nous cadenassions les valises. We were padlocking the suitcases.
vous cadenassiez Vous cadenassiez les portes. You were padlocking the doors.
ils cadenassaient Ils cadenassaient les fenêtres. They were padlocking the windows.
elles cadenassaient Elles cadenassaient les coffres. They were padlocking the chests.

Other Conjugations for Cadenasser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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