Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamoiser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chamoiser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chamoiser. 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 chamoiser is “to chamois” or “to buff.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “chamoiser” is sha-mwah-zay.

The verb chamoiser comes from the noun “chamois,” which refers to a type of soft leather made from the skin of the chamois animal. In everyday French, the verb chamoiser is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe an ongoing or repeated action in the past.

Here are three examples of chamoiser used in the imparfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Je chamoisais la carrosserie de ma voiture tous les weekends.
    (I used to buff the bodywork of my car every weekend.)

  2. Tu chamoisais les vitres de la maison avant les invités.
    (You used to chamois the windows of the house before guests arrived.)

  3. Elle chamoisait ses chaussures tous les matins avant d’aller au travail.
    (She used to buff her shoes every morning before going to work.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chamoiser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chamoisais Je chamoisais la voiture. I was chamoising the car.
tu chamoisais Tu chamoisais les vitres. You were chamoising the windows.
il chamoisait Il chamoisait la moto. He was chamoising the motorcycle.
elle chamoisait Elle chamoisait le plancher. She was chamoising the floor.
on chamoisait On chamoisait les meubles. We were chamoising the furniture.
nous chamoisions Nous chamoisions les carrosseries. We were chamoising the car bodies.
vous chamoisiez Vous chamoisiez la caravane. You were chamoising the caravan.
ils chamoisaient Ils chamoisaient les vélos. They were chamoising the bicycles.
elles chamoisaient Elles chamoisaient les surfaces. They were chamoising the surfaces.

Other Conjugations for Chamoiser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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