Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chapitrer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chapitrer

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The English translation of the French verb “chapitrer” is “to lecture” or “to reprimand.” The infinitive form of “chapitrer” is pronounced as [sha-pee-trey].

The verb “chapitrer” originated from the Latin word “capitulum,” meaning “chapter.” In everyday French, “chapitrer” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe the act of lecturing or reprimanding someone repeatedly or over a certain period of time.

Three simple examples of “chapitrer” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations, are:

  1. Chaque fois que je parlais fort, ma mère me chapitrait.
    (Every time I spoke loudly, my mother used to lecture me.)

  2. Le professeur nous chapitrait régulièrement pour notre manque de travail.
    (The teacher used to lecture us regularly for our lack of work.)

  3. Pendant toute l’année scolaire, mon patron me chapitrait sur mon retard quotidien.
    (Throughout the school year, my boss used to reprimand me for my daily lateness.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chapitrer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chapitrais Je chapitrais chaque soir. I used to chapter every evening.
tu chapitrais Tu chapitrais facilement. You used to chapter easily.
il chapitrait Il chapitrait le livre. He used to chapter the book.
elle chapitrait Elle chapitrait ses notes. She used to chapter her notes.
on chapitrait On chapitrait ensemble. We used to chapter together.
nous chapitrions Nous chapitrions les étudiants. We used to chapter the students.
vous chapitriez Vous chapitriez rapidement. You used to chapter quickly.
ils chapitraient Ils chapitraient souvent. They used to chapter often.
elles chapitraient Elles chapitraient en classe. They used to chapter in class.

Other Conjugations for Chapitrer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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