Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caréner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb caréner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of caréner. 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 “caréner” is “to careen” or “to heel over.” The infinitive form of “caréner” is pronounced as kah-ray-nay.

The word “caréner” originates from the noun “carene” in French, which refers to the keel of a ship. The verb “caréner” is commonly used in everyday French to describe the action of a boat or a ship leaning to one side.

Here are three examples of how “caréner” can be used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque fois que le vent se levait, le bateau carénait à tribord.
    (Every time the wind picked up, the boat would careen to starboard.)

  2. Quand la mer était agitée, le navire carénait dangereusement.
    (When the sea was rough, the ship would careen dangerously.)

  3. Pendant la tempête, le voilier carénait violemment, faisant craindre pour la sécurité de l’équipage.
    (During the storm, the sailboat would careen violently, causing concern for the crew’s safety.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of caréner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je carénais Je carénais le bateau. I was careening the boat.
tu carénais Tu carénais ton vélo. You were careening your bike.
il carénait Il carénait le navire. He was careening the ship.
elle carénait Elle carénait sa voiture. She was careening her car.
on carénait On carénait le bateau. We were careening the boat.
nous carénions Nous carénions nos skis. We were careening our skis.
vous caréniez Vous caréniez le kayak. You were careening the kayak.
ils carénaient Ils carénaient leurs planches de surf. They were careening their surfboards.
elles carénaient Elles carénaient leurs voiliers. They were careening their sailboats.

Other Conjugations for Caréner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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