Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caserner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb caserner

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The English translation of the French verb “caserner” is “to house in barracks.” The infinitive form “caserner” is pronounced as [ka.zɛʁ.ne].

The word “caserner” has its origins in the noun “casern” which means “barracks” in French. It is derived from the Italian word “caserma” and ultimately from the Latin word “caserna.” In everyday French, the verb “caserner” is used in the imparfait tense to describe the action of lodging or housing people in barracks.

Three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense and their English translations are:

  1. Nous casernions les soldats dans le nouvel édifice.
    (We were housing the soldiers in the new building.)

  2. Pendant la guerre, on casernait les réfugiés dans les camps militaires.
    (During the war, refugees were housed in military camps.)

  3. Les militaires se plaignaient des conditions de vie lorsqu’ils étaient casernés.
    (The soldiers used to complain about the living conditions when they were housed in barracks.)

Note: The examples provided are in the imparfait tense, which denotes ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of caserner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je casernais Je casernais avec mes camarades. I was barracked with my comrades.
tu casernais Tu casernais dans cette caserne. You were barracked in this barracks.
il casernait Il casernait avec les autres soldats. He was barracked with the other soldiers.
elle casernait Elle casernait dans la même caserne que moi. She was barracked in the same barracks as me.
on casernait On casernait dans des conditions difficiles. We were barracked in difficult conditions.
nous casernions Nous casernions ensemble pendant notre service. We were barracked together during our duty.
vous caserniez Vous caserniez dans une caserne moderne. You were barracked in a modern barracks.
ils casernaient Ils casernaient dans différentes régions. They were barracked in different regions.
elles casernaient Elles casernaient dans des installations temporaires. They were barracked in temporary facilities.

Other Conjugations for Caserner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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