Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chagriner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chagriner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chagriner. 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 “chagriner” is “to sadden” or “to grieve.” The infinitive form “chagriner” is pronounced as [sha-gree-ney].

The word “chagriner” originates from the Old French verb “chagrener,” which means “to sadden” or “to afflict.” It is derived from the noun “chagrin,” which refers to sorrow or affliction.

In everyday French, “chagriner” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe past ongoing actions or states of sadness or grief. It can refer to both personal and external causes of sadness.

Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, la mort de mon grand-père me chagrinait beaucoup.
    (When I was young, the death of my grandfather saddened me a lot.)

  2. Les mauvais résultats de l’équipe de football chagrinaient les supporters.
    (The poor results of the football team saddened the supporters.)

  3. Sa mélancolie persistante chagrinait ses proches.
    (Her persistent melancholy saddened her loved ones.)

Please note that the imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, rather than specific events or completed actions.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chagriner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chagrinais Je chagrinais mes parents. I used to upset my parents.
tu chagrinais Tu chagrinais ta sœur. You used to upset your sister.
il chagrinait Il chagrinait son ami. He used to upset his friend.
elle chagrinait Elle chagrinait son frère. She used to upset her brother.
on chagrinait On chagrinait les voisins. We used to upset the neighbors.
nous chagrinions Nous chagrinions nos professeurs. We used to upset our teachers.
vous chagriniez Vous chagriniez vos collègues. You used to upset your colleagues.
ils chagrinaient Ils chagrinaient leurs parents. They used to upset their parents.
elles chagrinaient Elles chagrinaient leurs amis. They used to upset their friends.

Other Conjugations for Chagriner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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