Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrioler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cambrioler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of cambrioler. 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 “cambrioler” is “to burgle” or “to rob.” The infinitive form “cambrioler” is pronounced as “kɑ̃.bʁi.ɔ.le.”

The verb “cambrioler” originates from the noun “cambriole,” which means “burglary” or “break-in.” This noun comes from the regional word “cambrousse,” referring to the countryside or remote areas. The term “cambrioler” emerged in the 19th century and has been used in everyday French to describe the act of breaking into a place to steal or rob.

In the imparfait tense, “cambrioler” is used to describe past habitual actions, ongoing actions, or background information. Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Pendant mon adolescence, je cambriolais souvent les maisons abandonnées. (During my teenage years, I used to burgle abandoned houses.)
  2. Il cambriolait les bijouteries toutes les semaines pour subvenir à ses besoins. (He was robbing jewelry stores every week to make ends meet.)
  3. Nous étions inquiets parce que notre quartier était souvent cambriolé. (We were worried because our neighborhood was frequently being burgled.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cambrioler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cambriolais Je cambriolais la maison. I was burglarizing the house.
tu cambriolais Tu cambriolais les magasins. You were burglarizing the stores.
il cambriolait Il cambriolait les banques. He was burglarizing the banks.
elle cambriolait Elle cambriolait les bijouteries. She was burglarizing the jewelry stores.
on cambriolait On cambriolait les appartements. We were burglarizing the apartments.
nous cambriolions Nous cambriolions les villas. We were burglarizing the villas.
vous cambrioliez Vous cambrioliez les entreprises. You were burglarizing the businesses.
ils cambriolaient Ils cambriolaient les musées. They were burglarizing the museums.
elles cambriolaient Elles cambriolaient les galeries d’art. They were burglarizing the art galleries.

Other Conjugations for Cambrioler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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