Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb caler

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The English translation of the French verb “caler” is “to wedge” or “to jam.” The infinitive form of “caler” is pronounced as [ka.le].

The word “caler” has its origins in the Latin word “calare,” which means “to call aloud” or “to summon.” In everyday French, “caler” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe past actions or ongoing situations.

Here are three simple examples of how “caler” is used in the imparfait tense, along with their respective English translations:

  1. Je calais la porte pour empêcher l’air froid d’entrer.
    (I was wedging the door to prevent cold air from coming in.)

  2. Tu calais toujours tes pieds sous la table pendant le dîner.
    (You used to always wedge your feet under the table during dinner.)

  3. Les enfants calaient des morceaux de papier dans les roues du vélo.
    (The children were jamming pieces of paper into the bicycle wheels.)

Please note that the translations provided are only approximate, as the specific context may alter the precise meaning.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of caler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je calais Je calais souvent. I used to stall often.
tu calais Tu calais le moteur. You used to stall the engine.
il calait Il calait à chaque démarrage. He used to stall at every start.
elle calait Elle calait régulièrement. She used to stall regularly.
on calait On calait souvent en montée. We used to stall often uphill.
nous calions Nous calions fréquemment. We used to stall frequently.
vous caliez Vous caliez facilement. You used to stall easily.
ils calaient Ils calaient de temps en temps. They used to stall from time to time.
elles calaient Elles calaient à chaque arrêt. They used to stall at every stop.

Other Conjugations for Caler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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