Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canoter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb canoter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of canoter. 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 “canoter” is “to paddle” or “to canoe.” The infinitive form “canoter” is pronounced as kah-noh-tey.

The word “canoter” has its origin in the French noun “canoë,” meaning “canoe.” It is primarily used in everyday French to describe the act of paddling or canoeing in an imprecise or general sense. The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of using “canoter” in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Chaque été, nous canotions sur le lac. (Every summer, we used to paddle on the lake.)
  2. Quand j’étais jeune, je canotais dans la rivière tous les jours. (When I was young, I used to canoe in the river every day.)
  3. Pendant les vacances, ils canotaient souvent en mer. (During the holidays, they would often paddle in the sea.)

These examples illustrate the habitual or ongoing nature of the action of canoeing in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of canoter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je canotais Je canotais sur le lac. I was canoeing on the lake.
tu canotais Tu canotais avec ton ami. You were canoeing with your friend.
il canotait Il canotait avec sa famille. He was canoeing with his family.
elle canotait Elle canotait tranquillement. She was canoeing peacefully.
on canotait On canotait tous les week-ends. We were canoeing every weekend.
nous canotions Nous canotions en rivière. We were canoeing in the river.
vous canotiez Vous canotiez rapidement. You were canoeing quickly.
ils canotaient Ils canotaient ensemble. They were canoeing together.
elles canotaient Elles canotaient sous le soleil. They were canoeing under the sun.

Other Conjugations for Canoter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the canoter imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply