Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caver

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb caver

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of caver. 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 caver is “to cave in” or “to collapse”. The infinitive form “caver” is pronounced as [ka-ve].

The word “caver” comes from the Latin word “cavare”, meaning “to hollow out” or “to dig”. In everyday French, “caver” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe past ongoing actions or states.

Here are three simple examples of the usage of “caver” in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je caviais des tunnels dans le sable. (When I was a child, I used to dig tunnels in the sand.)
  2. Pendant la pluie, l’eau caviait des trous dans le sol. (During the rain, the water would create holes in the ground.)
  3. Les vieilles maisons du village cavaient peu à peu à cause de leur âge. (The old houses in the village were gradually caving in due to their age.)

Please note that the English translations might not directly correspond to the French sentences as the context may vary.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of caver

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cavais Je cavais dans la grotte. I used to explore in the cave.
tu cavais Tu cavais toujours profondément. You used to dig deep.
il cavait Il cavait un trou. He was digging a hole.
elle cavait Elle cavait avec enthousiasme. She was digging with enthusiasm.
on cavait On cavait tous les jours. We used to dig every day.
nous cavions Nous cavions ensemble. We were digging together.
vous caviez Vous caviez rapidement. You were digging quickly.
ils cavaient Ils cavaient profondément. They were digging deep.
elles cavaient Elles cavaient sans relâche. They were digging relentlessly.

Other Conjugations for Caver.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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