Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cameloter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cameloter

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The English translation of the French verb cameloter is “to sell cheap, old or second-hand goods.” The infinitive form of cameloter is pronounced as “cah-muh-low-tay.”

The word cameloter originates from the noun “camelot,” which refers to a peddler or a seller of cheap goods. It entered the French language in the 19th century and became a verb to describe the act of selling low-value items. In everyday French, cameloter is often used in the imparfait tense to describe past habitual or continuous actions.

Here are three examples of cameloter used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je camelotais mes vieux jouets dans la cour de récréation.
    (When I was young, I used to sell my old toys in the playground.)

  2. Ils camelotaient sur les marchés tous les dimanches pour gagner un peu d’argent.
    (They used to sell cheap goods at the markets every Sunday to earn some money.)

  3. Tu ne te souviens pas de cette vieille dame qui camelotait devant la gare tous les matins ?
    (Don’t you remember that old lady who used to sell goods in front of the train station every morning?)

Note: The translations provided are not verbatim, but capture the essence of the sentence in English.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cameloter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je camelotais Je camelotais des produits sur le marché. I used to sell products at the market.
tu camelotais Tu camelotais souvent dans cette rue. You used to sell often in this street.
il camelotait Il camelotait des gadgets électroniques. He used to sell electronic gadgets.
elle camelotait Elle camelotait des bijoux artisanaux. She used to sell handmade jewelry.
on camelotait On camelotait des vêtements de seconde main. We used to sell second-hand clothes.
nous camelotions Nous camelotions des livres d’occasion. We used to sell used books.
vous camelotiez Vous camelotiez des accessoires de mode. You used to sell fashion accessories.
ils camelotaient Ils camelotaient des produits de beauté. They used to sell beauty products.
elles camelotaient Elles camelotaient des produits alimentaires. They used to sell food products.

Other Conjugations for Cameloter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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