Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chapeler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chapeler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chapeler. 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 “chapeler” is “to wear a hat.” The infinitive form “chapeler” is pronounced as /ʃa.ple/.

The verb “chapeler” originates from the noun “chapeau,” meaning “hat” in French. It is most often used in everyday French in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Examples of usage in the imparfait tense:

  1. Je chapelais tous les jours pour me protéger du soleil.
    Translation: I used to wear a hat every day to protect myself from the sun.

  2. Pendant mes vacances, ma grand-mère me chapelait toujours avant de sortir.
    Translation: During my vacation, my grandmother would always make me wear a hat before going out.

  3. Quand j’étais enfant, mon père me chapelait quand il faisait froid.
    Translation: When I was a child, my father would make me wear a hat when it was cold.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chapeler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chapelais Je chapelais les mots. I was spelling the words.
tu chapelais Tu chapelais mal. You were spelling wrong.
il chapelait Il chapelait le nom. He was spelling the name.
elle chapelait Elle chapelait avec difficulté. She was spelling with difficulty.
on chapelait On chapelait les syllabes. We were spelling the syllables.
nous chapelions Nous chapelions les mots ensemble. We were spelling the words together.
vous chapiiez Vous chapiiez les lettres. You were spelling the letters.
ils chapelaint Ils chapelaint les mots. They were spelling the words.
elles chapelaint Elles chapelaint les mots correctement. They were spelling the words correctly.

Other Conjugations for Chapeler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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