Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cancaner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cancaner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of cancaner. 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 “cancaner” is “to gossip” or “to spread rumors.” The infinitive form “cancaner” is pronounced as [kɑ̃.ka.ne].

The word “cancaner” originates from the French onomatopoeic term “cancan,” which imitates the sound of geese or ducks quacking. It became associated with gossiping and spreading rumors due to the chattering nature of these birds.

In everyday French, “cancaner” is commonly used in the imparfait tense (imperfect tense) to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It often implies the act of engaging in gossip or spreading rumors over a certain period.

Examples of “cancaner” in the imparfait tense:

  1. Nous cancanions tous les jours pendant la pause déjeuner.
    (We used to gossip every day during lunch break.)

  2. Tu cancanais constamment sur tes collègues de travail.
    (You used to constantly gossip about your coworkers.)

  3. Ils/Elles cancanai(en)t dans le voisinage tous les soirs.
    (They used to gossip in the neighborhood every evening.)

English translations:

  1. We used to gossip every day during lunch break.
  2. You used to constantly gossip about your coworkers.
  3. They used to gossip in the neighborhood every evening.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cancaner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cancanais Je cancanais sur les réseaux sociaux. I gossiped on social media.
tu cancanais Tu cancanais souvent. You gossiped often.
il cancanait Il cancanait dans le quartier. He gossiped in the neighborhood.
elle cancanait Elle cancanait avec ses amies. She gossiped with her friends.
on cancanait On cancanait autour de la machine à café. We gossiped around the coffee machine.
nous cancanions Nous cancanions sur nos collègues. We gossiped about our colleagues.
vous cancaniez Vous cancaniez à voix basse. You gossiped in a low voice.
ils cancanaient Ils cancanaient sur le voisin. They gossiped about the neighbor.
elles cancanaient Elles cancanaient pendant la pause déjeuner. They gossiped during lunch break.

Other Conjugations for Cancaner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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