Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chantourner

Introduction to the verb chantourner

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The English translation of the French verb “chantourner” is “to outline” or “to cut out.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “chantourner” is [shahn-toor-ney].

The word “chantourner” originated from the Old French word “chentourner,” which comes from the combination of “chanter” (to sing) and “tourner” (to turn). In everyday French, “chantourner” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe past actions or habitual actions that were ongoing or repeated in the past.

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

  1. Je chantournais des motifs en bois. (I used to outline wood designs.)
  2. Ils chantournaient les contours des bâtiments. (They were cutting out the outlines of the buildings.)
  3. Tu chantournais les figurines avec précision. (You would outline the figurines with precision.)

Please note that these translations are not literal but capture the meaning of the sentences in English.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chantourner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chantournais Je chantournais le bois. I was scroll sawing the wood.
tu chantournais Tu chantournais des motifs. You were scroll sawing patterns.
il chantournait Il chantournait une sculpture. He was scroll sawing a sculpture.
elle chantournait Elle chantournait des décorations. She was scroll sawing decorations.
on chantournait On chantournait des jouets. We were scroll sawing toys.
nous chantournions Nous chantournions des puzzles. We were scroll sawing puzzles.
vous chantourniez Vous chantourniez des ornements. You were scroll sawing ornaments.
ils chantournaient Ils chantournaient des animaux en bois. They were scroll sawing wooden animals.
elles chantournaient Elles chantournaient des lettres. They were scroll sawing letters.

Other Conjugations for Chantourner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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