Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cantonner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cantonner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of cantonner. 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 “cantonner” is “to quarter” or “to billet.” The infinitive form of “cantonner” is pronounced as “kan-tawn-ay.”

The verb “cantonner” comes from the French noun “canton,” which refers to a military district or a small administrative division. It is most often used in everyday French in the imparfait tense to express repeated or ongoing actions in the past.

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

  1. Chaque hiver, nous cantonnions des soldats dans les villages. (Every winter, we used to quarter soldiers in the villages.)
  2. Pendant la guerre, les troupes étaient cantonnées dans des bâtiments abandonnés. (During the war, the troops were quartered in abandoned buildings.)
  3. Mon grand-père cantonnait souvent des soldats chez lui. (My grandfather used to quarter soldiers at his place regularly.)

Note: The translations provided are approximate as the meaning of the imparfait tense can vary depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cantonner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cantonnais Je cantonnais dans la région. I was stationed in the region.
tu cantonnais Tu cantonnais près de moi. You were stationed near me.
il cantonnait Il cantonnait à l’étranger. He was stationed abroad.
elle cantonnait Elle cantonnait dans la ville. She was stationed in the city.
on cantonnait On cantonnait dans cette région. We were stationed in this region.
nous cantonnions Nous cantonnions dans le nord. We were stationed in the north.
vous cantonniez Vous cantonniez dans cette caserne. You were stationed in this barracks.
ils cantonnaient Ils cantonnaient en montagne. They were stationed in the mountains.
elles cantonnaient Elles cantonnaient près de la frontière. They were stationed near the border.

Other Conjugations for Cantonner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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