Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cailler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cailler

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The English translation of the French verb “cailler” is “to curdle” or “to clot.” The infinitive form of “cailler” is pronounced as [kay-ye].

The verb “cailler” comes from the Old French word “caillir,” which means “to curdle.” It originated from the Latin word “coagulare,” which has the same meaning. In everyday French, “cailler” is most commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe a past action that was ongoing or habitual.

Here are three examples of “cailler” used in the imparfait tense:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, le lait caillait souvent. (When I was young, the milk would often curdle.)
  2. Nous partions avant que la crème ne caillât. (We would leave before the cream curdled.)
  3. Les températures basses faisaient toujours cailler le fromage. (The low temperatures would always curdle the cheese.)

English translations:

  1. When I was young, the milk would often curdle.
  2. We would leave before the cream curdled.
  3. The low temperatures would always curdle the cheese.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cailler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je caillais Je caillais dans le froid. I was freezing in the cold.
tu caillais Tu caillais sans manteau. You were shivering without a coat.
il caillait Il caillait pendant la nuit. He was freezing during the night.
elle caillait Elle caillait sous la pluie. She was freezing in the rain.
on caillait On caillait à cause du vent. We were freezing because of the wind.
nous caillions Nous caillions dans la neige. We were freezing in the snow.
vous cailliez Vous cailliez dans ce climat. You were freezing in this climate.
ils caillaient Ils caillaient dans le froid. They were freezing in the cold.
elles caillaient Elles caillaient sans veste. They were freezing without a jacket.

Other Conjugations for Cailler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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