Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cascader

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cascader

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of cascader. 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 “cascader” is “to cascade” or “to flow down.” The infinitive form “cascader” is pronounced as [ka.ska.de].

“Cascader” comes from the French word “cascade,” which means waterfall. Its language origin can be traced back to the Latin word “cascata,” which also means waterfall. In everyday French, “cascader” is often used to describe something flowing or falling rapidly, similar to the movement of a waterfall.

Examples of “cascader” in the imparfait tense:

  1. Les larmes cascadaient sur ses joues. (The tears were cascading down her cheeks.)
  2. L’eau cascadaient le long de la montagne. (The water was cascading down the mountain.)
  3. Les feuilles cascadaient des arbres en automne. (The leaves were cascading down from the trees in autumn.)

Please note that the English translations provided are in the progressive or continuous form to reflect the imparfait tense, although the literal translations may differ slightly.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cascader

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cascadais Je cascadais dans la rivière. I was cascading in the river.
tu cascadais Tu cascadais avec élégance. You were cascading gracefully.
il cascadais Il cascadais depuis le sommet de la montagne. He was cascading from the top of the mountain.
elle cascadais Elle cascadais avec agilité. She was cascading with agility.
on cascadais On cascadais en chantant. We were cascading while singing.
nous cascadions Nous cascadions tous les jours. We were cascading every day.
vous cascadiez Vous cascadiez avec assurance. You were cascading with confidence.
ils cascadaient Ils cascadaient en tandem. They were cascading in tandem.
elles cascadaient Elles cascadaient en cascade. They were cascading in a waterfall.

Other Conjugations for Cascader.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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