Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chantonner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chantonner

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The English translation of the French verb “chanter” is “to sing.” The infinitive form of “chantonner” is pronounced as “shahn-ton-ay.”

The verb “chantonner” is derived from the French word “chant,” meaning “song.” It is an informal verb often used in everyday French to describe singing softly or humming a tune. It can also convey a sense of spontaneity or absentmindedness while singing.

Here are three simple examples of using “chantonner” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je chantonnais chaque matin en me préparant. (I used to sing every morning while getting ready.)
  2. Pendant la promenade, ils chantaient et chantonnaient joyeusement. (During the walk, they were singing and humming happily.)
  3. Elle chantonnait une chanson douce en préparant le dîner. (She was softly singing a sweet song while preparing dinner.)

Note: The imparfait tense in French is often used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chantonner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chantonais Je chantonais une chanson. I was singing a song.
tu chantonais Tu chantonais très bien. You were singing very well.
il chantonait Il chantonait doucement. He was singing softly.
elle chantonait Elle chantonait avec passion. She was singing with passion.
on chantonait On chantonait tous ensemble. We were all singing together.
nous chantonions Nous chantonions joyeusement. We were singing happily.
vous chantoniez Vous chantoniez en choeur. You were singing in chorus.
ils chantaient Ils chantaient faux. They were singing out of tune.
elles chantaient Elles chantaient en harmonie. They were singing in harmony.

Other Conjugations for Chantonner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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