Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cadencer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cadencer

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The English translation of the French verb “cadencer” is “to rhythm” or “to regulate.” The infinitive form “cadencer” is pronounced as [ka-dɑ̃-se].

The word “cadencer” comes from the French noun “cadence,” which originates from the Latin word “cadentia” meaning “a falling.” In everyday French, “cadencer” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe the continuous or habitual action of regulating or setting a rhythm. It can also be used to suggest the idea of pacing or timing.

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

  1. Chaque matin, elle cadençait sa course – Every morning, she regulated her run.
  2. Nous cadencions nos pas au rythme de la musique – We paced our steps to the rhythm of the music.
  3. Pendant le cours de danse, ils cadençaient leurs mouvements – During the dance class, they rhythmically timed their movements.

Note: It is important to mention that while the translations provided accurately convey the meaning of the sentences, they may not capture the precise nuances that could be found in the original French text.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cadencer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cadençais Je cadençais ma respiration. I was pacing my breathing.
tu cadençais Tu cadençais la musique. You were setting the rhythm of the music.
il cadençait Il cadençait ses pas. He was timing his steps.
elle cadençait Elle cadençait sa voix. She was modulating her voice.
on cadençait On cadençait la danse. We were timing the dance.
nous cadencions Nous cadencions nos exercices. We were pacing our exercises.
vous cadenciez Vous cadenciez vos mouvements. You were timing your movements.
ils cadençaient Ils cadençaient leurs phrases. They were structuring their sentences.
elles cadençaient Elles cadençaient leurs actions. They were timing their actions.

Other Conjugations for Cadencer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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