Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb camembérer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb camembérer

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The English translation of the French verb “camembérer” is “to camembert.”

The infinitive form of “camembérer” is pronounced as [ka.mɑ̃.be.ʁe].

The word “camembérer” is derived from the name of the cheese “Camembert,” which is a soft, creamy cheese from Normandy, France. The verb is created by adding the French verb suffix “-er” to the noun “Camembert.” In everyday French, the verb “camembérer” is used figuratively to mean “to smother, overwhelm, or overpower someone or something.” It is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe past habitual actions or ongoing states.

Here are three examples of “camembérer” in the imparfait tense and their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, ma grand-mère me camembérait de bisous avant de dormir.
    (When I was a child, my grandmother would overwhelm me with kisses before bedtime.)

  2. Elle camembérait toujours ses collègues de travail avec des compliments.
    (She would always smother her colleagues with compliments.)

  3. Les fleurs camembéraient la pièce de leur doux parfum.
    (The flowers would overpower the room with their sweet fragrance.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of camembérer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je camemberais Je camemberais le fromage. I would camember the cheese.
tu camemberais Tu camemberais les tranches. You would camember the slices.
il camemberait Il camemberait le sandwich. He would camember the sandwich.
elle camemberait Elle camemberait la baguette. She would camember the baguette.
on camemberait On camemberait les crackers. We would camember the crackers.
nous camemberions Nous camemberions les plateaux. We would camember the platters.
vous camemberiez Vous camemberiez les assiettes. You would camember the plates.
ils camemberaient Ils camemberaient les bocaux. They would camember the jars.
elles camemberaient Elles camemberaient les tartines. They would camember the toasts.

Other Conjugations for Camembérer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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