Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chariboter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chariboter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chariboter. 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 chariboter is “to quibble” or “to be finicky”. The infinitive form is pronounced as “sha-ree-boh-teh”.

The word chariboter originates from the French word charriot, meaning “cart” or “wagon”. It is often used in everyday French to describe someone who nitpicks or finds faults in every little detail. It is commonly used in the imparfait tense to express ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three examples of chariboter in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Chaque fois qu’il y avait une réunion, il charibotait sur les détails de l’ordre du jour. (Every time there was a meeting, he would quibble about the details of the agenda.)

  2. Elle charibotait constamment sur la propreté de sa maison. (She would constantly be finicky about the cleanliness of her house.)

  3. Quand j’étais jeune, je charibotais toujours sur les vêtements que je portais. (When I was young, I would always quibble about the clothes I wore.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chariboter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je charibotais Je charibotais avec mes amis. I used to hesitate with my friends.
tu charibotais Tu charibotais devant la foule. You used to hesitate in front of the crowd.
il charibotait Il charibotait avant de prendre une décision. He used to hesitate before making a decision.
elle charibotait Elle charibotait lorsqu’elle devait parler en public. She used to hesitate when she had to speak in public.
on charibotait On charibotait souvent en classe. We used to hesitate often in class.
nous charibotions Nous charibotions lors des réunions. We used to hesitate during meetings.
vous charibotiez Vous charibotiez avant de faire ce saut. You used to hesitate before making that jump.
ils charibotaient Ils charibotaient lorsqu’ils étaient sous pression. They used to hesitate when they were under pressure.
elles charibotaient Elles charibotaient avant de prendre une décision importante. They used to hesitate before making an important decision.

Other Conjugations for Chariboter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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