Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb capeler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb capeler

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The English translation of the French verb “capeler” is “to call.” The infinitive form “capeler” is pronounced as /ka.pe.le/.

The verb “capeler” originates from the Latin word “capitulare,” which means “to divide into chapters.” In everyday French, “capeler” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe repeated or habitual actions in the past.

Three examples of “capeler” used in the imparfait tense with their English translations are:

  1. Chaque matin, je capelais mon chien pour qu’il vienne à moi. (Every morning, I used to call my dog so that he would come to me.)
  2. Quand j’étais jeune, nous capelions nos amis pour jouer au parc. (When I was young, we would call our friends to play in the park.)
  3. Pendant les vacances, ils capelaient leurs parents pour leur raconter leurs aventures. (During the holidays, they would call their parents to tell them about their adventures.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of capeler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je capelais Je capelais souvent. I used to capel often.
tu capelais Tu capelais avec moi. You used to capel with me.
il capelait Il capelait rapidement. He used to capel quickly.
elle capelait Elle capelait sans effort. She used to capel effortlessly.
on capelait On capelait tous les jours. We used to capel every day.
nous capelions Nous capelions en équipe. We used to capel as a team.
vous capeliez Vous capeliez avec eux. You used to capel with them.
ils capelaient Ils capelaient en compétition. They used to capel in competition.
elles capelaient Elles capelaient avec passion. They used to capel with passion.

Other Conjugations for Capeler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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