Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb calfater

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb calfater

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of calfater. 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 “calfater” is “to caulk” or “to seal.” The infinitive form “calfater” is pronounced as “kal-fa-tey.”

The verb “calfater” originated from the Old French word “cau(f)tier,” which comes from the Latin word “calcāre” meaning “to tread.” In everyday French language, “calfater” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe past habitual or ongoing actions. The imparfait tense is used to express a continuous, repeated, or ongoing action in the past.

Here are three examples of how “calfater” can be used in the imparfait tense:

  1. Chaque année, je calfatais les fenêtres de ma maison pour éviter les infiltrations d’eau.
    (Every year, I used to caulk the windows of my house to prevent water seepage.)

  2. Pendant la rénovation, nous calfations les joints de la salle de bains régulièrement.
    (During the renovation, we used to caulk the joints of the bathroom regularly.)

  3. Les marins calfataient les bateaux avant chaque voyage pour éviter les fuites.
    (The sailors used to caulk the boats before each trip to prevent leaks.)

English translations:

  1. Every year, I used to caulk the windows of my house to prevent water seepage.
  2. During the renovation, we used to caulk the joints of the bathroom regularly.
  3. The sailors used to caulk the boats before each trip to prevent leaks.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of calfater

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je calfatais Je calfatais les bords du bateau. I was caulking the edges of the boat.
tu calfatais Tu calfatais les fissures. You were caulking the cracks.
il calfatait Il calfatait le pont. He was caulking the deck.
elle calfatait Elle calfatait les fenêtres. She was caulking the windows.
on calfatait On calfatait les joints. We were caulking the joints.
nous calfations Nous calfations les fuites. We were caulking the leaks.
vous calfatiez Vous calfatiez les ouvertures. You were caulking the openings.
ils calfataient Ils calfataient les planches. They were caulking the planks.
elles calfataient Elles calfataient les fissures. They were caulking the cracks.

Other Conjugations for Calfater.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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