Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caractériser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb caractériser

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The English translation of the French verb “caractériser” is “to characterize.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “ka-rak-te-ree-zay.”

“Caractériser” is derived from the Latin word “characterizare,” which comes from the Greek word “charakterizein,” meaning “to mark or imprint.” In everyday French, “caractériser” is commonly used to describe or define the specific qualities, features, or traits that distinguish something or someone.

Examples of “caractériser” in the imparfait tense:

  1. Pendant mon enfance, j’étais timide et réservé. Je me caractérisais par ma discrétion.
    (During my childhood, I was shy and reserved. I was characterized by my discretion.)

  2. Les paysages dans cette région se caractérisaient par des montagnes majestueuses et des rivières cristallines.
    (The landscapes in this region were characterized by majestic mountains and crystal-clear rivers.)

  3. L’économie de ce pays était fragile et se caractérisait par une faible croissance et un taux de chômage élevé.
    (The economy of this country was fragile and was characterized by low growth and high unemployment rate.)

English translations:

  1. During my childhood, I was shy and reserved. I was characterized by my discretion.

  2. The landscapes in this region were characterized by majestic mountains and crystal-clear rivers.

  3. The economy of this country was fragile and was characterized by low growth and high unemployment rate.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of caractériser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je caractérisais Je caractérisais le personnage. I was characterizing the character.
tu caractérisais Tu caractérisais bien le problème. You were characterizing the problem well.
il caractérisait Il caractérisait le paysage. He was characterizing the landscape.
elle caractérisait Elle caractérisait sa personnalité. She was characterizing her personality.
on caractérisait On caractérisait cette époque. We were characterizing that era.
nous caractérisions Nous caractérisions les objets. We were characterizing the objects.
vous caractérisiez Vous caractérisiez le phénomène. You were characterizing the phenomenon.
ils caractérisaient Ils caractérisaient les animaux. They were characterizing the animals.
elles caractérisaient Elles caractérisaient les plantes. They were characterizing the plants.

Other Conjugations for Caractériser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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