Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb capitonner

Introduction to the verb capitonner

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The English translation of the French verb “capitonner” is “to pad” or “to upholster.” The infinitive form “capitonner” is pronounced as [ka.pi.tɔ.ne].

The language origin of “capitonner” is derived from the French noun “capiton,” meaning “cushion.” The verb “capitonner” is used to describe the action of covering or filling something with a soft material, like a cushion or padding. In everyday French, it is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three examples of “capitonner” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je capitonnais le siège de la chaise.
    (I was upholstering the chair’s seat.)

  2. Nous capitonnions les murs de la chambre d’enfant.
    (We were padding the walls of the child’s bedroom.)

  3. Ils capitonnaient les accoudoirs du canapé.
    (They were padding the sofa’s armrests.)

These examples exemplify the use of “capitonner” in describing ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of capitonner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je capitonnais Je capitonnais le fauteuil. I was upholstering the armchair.
tu capitonnais Tu capitonnais le canapé. You were upholstering the sofa.
il capitonnait Il capitonnait la chaise. He was upholstering the chair.
elle capitonnait Elle capitonnait le pouf. She was upholstering the ottoman.
on capitonnait On capitonnait les coussins. We were upholstering the cushions.
nous capitonnions Nous capitonnions les matelas. We were upholstering the mattresses.
vous capitonniez Vous capitonniez les têtes de lit. You were upholstering the headboards.
ils capitonnaient Ils capitonnaient les banquettes. They were upholstering the benches.
elles capitonnaient Elles capitonnaient les tabourets. They were upholstering the stools.

Other Conjugations for Capitonner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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