Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chanfreiner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chanfreiner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chanfreiner. 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 “chanfreiner” is “to bevel.” The infinitive form “chanfreiner” is pronounced as “shahn-fray-nay.”

The word “chanfreiner” comes from the Old French word “chanfraigne,” which means “the edge of a tool.” It is derived from the Old Low Franconian word “frankō” meaning “free, exempt.” In everyday French, “chanfreiner” is used to describe the action of cutting or shaping an edge at an angle, usually done to remove sharp corners and create a beveled edge.

Here are three examples of the usage of “chanfreiner” in the imparfait tense along with their English translations:

  1. Pendant toute la journée, le menuisier chanfreinait les bords du bois.
    (Throughout the day, the carpenter was beveling the edges of the wood.)

  2. Quand j’étais enfant, mon père me montrait comment chanfreiner les feuilles de papier.
    (When I was a child, my father would show me how to bevel paper edges.)

  3. Nous chanfreinions les pièces métalliques pour les rendre plus sécuritaires.
    (We used to bevel the metal parts to make them safer.)

Please note that the translations provided above are meant to convey the general sense of the sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chanfreiner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chanfreinais Je chanfreinais les bords. I was chamfering the edges.
tu chanfreinais Tu chanfreinais le bois. You were chamfering the wood.
il chanfreinait Il chanfreinait les angles. He was chamfering the corners.
elle chanfreinait Elle chanfreinait les pièces. She was chamfering the pieces.
on chanfreinait On chanfreinait les arêtes. We were chamfering the edges.
nous chanfreinions Nous chanfreinions les surfaces. We were chamfering the surfaces.
vous chanfreiniez Vous chanfreiniez le métal. You were chamfering the metal.
ils chanfreinaient Ils chanfreinaient les objets. They were chamfering the objects.
elles chanfreinaient Elles chanfreinaient les matériaux. They were chamfering the materials.

Other Conjugations for Chanfreiner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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