Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb catastropher

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb catastropher

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of catastropher. 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 correct translation of the French verb “catastropher” to English is “to catastrophize.” The infinitive form “catastropher” is pronounced as [kah-tah-stro-fey].

The verb “catastropher” originated from the French noun “catastrophe,” meaning “catastrophe” in English. It is derived from the Greek roots “kata,” meaning “down” or “against,” and “strophē,” meaning “turn.” In everyday French, “catastropher” is often used to describe someone who exaggerates or overreacts to a situation, making it seem worse than it actually is.

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

  1. Chaque fois qu’il y avait un retard, elle catastrophait et pensait qu’elle allait perdre son emploi.
    (Every time there was a delay, she would catastrophize and think she was going to lose her job.)

  2. Quand il avait un examen, il catastrophait en pensant qu’il allait échouer.
    (When he had an exam, he would catastrophize and think he was going to fail.)

  3. Elle catastrophisait à l’idée de devoir parler en public.
    (She would catastrophize at the thought of having to speak in public.)

In these examples, the verb “catastropher” is used to describe the exaggerated reactions or thoughts of individuals in specific situations.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of catastropher

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je catastrophais Je catastrophais facilement. I used to catastrophize easily.
tu catastrophais Tu catastrophais pour rien. You used to catastrophize for no reason.
il catastrophait Il catastrophait devant un problème. He used to catastrophize in front of a problem.
elle catastrophait Elle catastrophait avant les examens. She used to catastrophize before exams.
on catastrophait On catastrophait pour tout. We used to catastrophize about everything.
nous catastrophions Nous catastrophions trop souvent. We used to catastrophize too often.
vous catastrophiez Vous catastrophiez sans raison. You used to catastrophize without reason.
ils catastrophaient Ils catastrophaient après chaque erreur. They used to catastrophize after each mistake.
elles catastrophaient Elles catastrophaient avant les rendez-vous. They used to catastrophize before appointments.

Other Conjugations for Catastropher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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