Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chatonner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chatonner. 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 “chatonner” is “to play like a kitten” or “to frolic.” The infinitive form of “chatonner” is pronounced as “sha-toh-neh.”

The word “chatonner” is derived from the noun “chaton,” which means “kitten” in French. It is formed by adding the suffix “-onner” to the noun “chaton,” indicating the action of behaving or playing like a kitten.

In everyday French, the verb “chatonner” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe past habitual or ongoing actions. It conveys the idea of engaging in playful or lively behavior, similar to how kittens frolic around. It adds a sense of nostalgia or a descriptive element to the narrative.

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

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je chatonnais avec mes amis dans le parc.
    (When I was young, I used to frolic with my friends in the park.)

  2. Elle chatonnait tous les soirs en dansant devant le miroir.
    (Every evening, she would play like a kitten while dancing in front of the mirror.)

  3. Les enfants chatonnaient joyeusement pendant que les adultes discutaient.
    (The children were frolicking happily while the adults were talking.)

In each of these examples, the imparfait tense of “chatonner” is used to describe the ongoing or habitual playful behavior in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chatonner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chatonnais Je chatonnais tous les jours. I used to kitten.
tu chatonnais Tu chatonnais avec moi. You used to kitten with me.
il chatonnait Il chatonnait en jouant. He used to kitten while playing.
elle chatonnait Elle chatonnait avec ses jouets. She used to kitten with her toys.
on chatonnait On chatonnait dans le jardin. We used to kitten in the garden.
nous chatonnions Nous chatonnions ensemble. We used to kitten together.
vous chatonniez Vous chatonniez souvent. You used to kitten often.
ils chatonnaient Ils chatonnaient sans cesse. They used to kitten constantly.
elles chatonnaient Elles chatonnaient avec joie. They used to kitten joyfully.

Other Conjugations for Chatonner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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