Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb charger

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb charger

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of charger. 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 “charger” is “to charge.” The infinitive form of “charger” is pronounced as “shaR-zhey.”

The verb “charger” in French originated from the Latin word “carricare,” meaning “to load or burden.” In everyday French, “charger” is primarily used in the imparfait tense to express actions or states that were ongoing or habitual in the past.

Here are three examples of “charger” used in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Chaque matin, je chargeais mon téléphone. (Every morning, I would charge my phone.)
  2. Nous chargions nos valises dans la voiture avant de partir en vacances. (We used to load our suitcases into the car before going on vacation.)
  3. Pendant la guerre, les soldats chargeaient leurs armes en prévision des combats. (During the war, the soldiers would load their weapons in preparation for the battles.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of charger

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chargeais Je chargeais les valises. I was loading the suitcases.
tu chargeais Tu chargeais les provisions. You were loading the supplies.
il chargeait Il chargeait le camion. He was loading the truck.
elle chargeait Elle chargeait les cartons. She was loading the boxes.
on chargeait On chargeait les bagages. We were loading the luggage.
nous chargions Nous chargions les sacs. We were loading the bags.
vous chargiez Vous chargiez les meubles. You were loading the furniture.
ils chargeaient Ils chargeaient le bateau. They were loading the boat.
elles chargeaient Elles chargeaient les marchandises. They were loading the merchandise.

Other Conjugations for Charger.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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