Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caillouter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb caillouter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of caillouter. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb “caillouter” is “to stone” or “to pelt with stones”. The infinitive form “caillouter” is pronounced as “kai-loo-tey”.

The word “caillouter” originates from the noun “caillou” which means “pebble” in French. The verb is derived from this noun and is most often used to describe the action of throwing or pelting someone or something with stones. It can also be used figuratively to mean “to criticize harshly” or “to attack verbally”.

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

  1. Je cailloutais les oiseaux qui s’approchaient de mon jardin.
    (I used to stone the birds that approached my garden.)

  2. Tu cailloutais les fenêtres de la maison abandonnée.
    (You were stoning the windows of the abandoned house.)

  3. Il cailloutait les voitures qui passaient devant chez lui.
    (He was pelting the cars that passed in front of his house.)

Please note that the usage of “caillouter” in the imparfait tense may vary depending on the context and the specific meaning intended.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of caillouter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cailloutais Je cailloutais le chemin. I was throwing stones on the path.
tu cailloutais Tu cailloutais la fenêtre. You were throwing stones at the window.
il cailloutait Il cailloutait la rivière. He was throwing stones in the river.
elle cailloutait Elle cailloutait le jardin. She was throwing stones in the garden.
on cailloutait On cailloutait la rue. We were throwing stones on the street.
nous cailloutions Nous cailloutions la voiture. We were throwing stones at the car.
vous cailloutiez Vous cailloutiez le mur. You were throwing stones at the wall.
ils cailloutaient Ils cailloutaient la maison. They were throwing stones at the house.
elles cailloutaient Elles cailloutaient la plage. They were throwing stones at the beach.

Other Conjugations for Caillouter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the caillouter imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply