Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caper

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb caper

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The English translation of the French verb “caper” is “to frolic” or “to skip.” The infinitive form of the verb “caper” is pronounced as /ka.pe/.

The word “caper” comes from the Latin word “capreolus,” meaning “young goat.” In everyday French, the verb “caper” is most often used in the imparfait tense to express ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

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

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je capais dans le jardin tous les jours.
    (When I was young, I used to frolic in the garden every day.)

  2. Les enfants capaient joyeusement dans le parc pendant des heures.
    (The children were skipping happily in the park for hours.)

  3. Pendant les vacances, nous capions sur la plage et nous riions aux éclats.
    (During the holidays, we used to frolic on the beach and laugh out loud.)

Note: It’s important to mention that the verb “caper” is not frequently used in everyday French and is often considered old-fashioned or literary.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of caper

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je capais Je capais partout. I was frolicking everywhere.
tu capais Tu capais avec les enfants. You were frolicking with the children.
il capait Il capait dans le parc. He was frolicking in the park.
elle capait Elle capait joyeusement. She was frolicking joyfully.
on capait On capait dans la nature. We were frolicking in nature.
nous capions Nous capions ensemble. We were frolicking together.
vous capiez Vous capiez avec enthousiasme. You were frolicking enthusiastically.
ils capaient Ils capaient dans la rue. They were frolicking in the street.
elles capaient Elles capaient avec joie. They were frolicking happily.

Other Conjugations for Caper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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