Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb câliner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb câliner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of câliner. 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 câliner is “to cuddle” or “to snuggle.” The infinitive form “câliner” is pronounced as “ka-lee-nay.”

The word “câliner” comes from the noun “câlin,” which means “a cuddle” or “an embrace.” It originated from the Latin word “calidus,” meaning “warm.” In everyday French, “câliner” is commonly used to express affection or to describe physical gestures of tenderness, such as hugging, cuddling, or caressing someone or something.

Here are three examples of how “câliner” can be used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je câlinais mon doudou tous les soirs.
    (When I was a child, I used to cuddle my stuffed animal every evening.)

  2. Pendant la promenade, nous câlinions notre chien en le caressant.
    (During the walk, we would cuddle our dog by petting him.)

  3. Elle câlinait toujours ses plantes en leur parlant doucement.
    (She would always cuddle her plants by speaking softly to them.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe past actions or habits that were ongoing, incomplete, or repeated in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of câliner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je câlinais Je câlinais mon chien. I was cuddling my dog.
tu câlinais Tu câlinais ton chat. You were cuddling your cat.
il câlinait Il câlinait sa sœur. He was cuddling his sister.
elle câlinait Elle câlinait son bébé. She was cuddling her baby.
on câlinait On câlinait les animaux. We were cuddling the animals.
nous câlinions Nous câlinions nos amis. We were cuddling our friends.
vous câliniez Vous câliniez votre partenaire. You were cuddling your partner.
ils câlinaient Ils câlinaient leurs enfants. They were cuddling their children.
elles câlinaient Elles câlinaient leurs peluches. They were cuddling their stuffed animals.

Other Conjugations for Câliner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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