Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Introduction to the verb chatoyer
The English translation of the French verb “chatoyer” is “to shimmer” or “to sparkle.” The infinitive form “chatoyer” is pronounced as “sha-twa-yey.”
The verb “chatoyer” is derived from the French noun “chatoyant,” which means “shimmering” or “iridescent.” It originated from the Old French word “chatoier,” which came from the Latin word “captare,” meaning “to catch” or “to captivate.” In everyday French, “chatoyer” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual shimmering or sparkling actions.
Here are three examples of “chatoyer” in the imparfait tense with their English translations:
- Les étoiles chatoyaient dans le ciel nocturne. (The stars shimmered in the night sky.)
- La rivière chatoyait sous les rayons du soleil. (The river sparkled under the sun’s rays.)
- La robe de soirée chatoyait de mille couleurs. (The evening gown shimmered with a thousand colors.)
In these examples, the imparfait tense is used to express a continuous or repetitive action in the past.
Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chatoyer
Pronoun | Conjugation | Short Example | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
je | chatoyais | Je chatoyais de joie. | I was shimmering with joy. |
tu | chatoyais | Tu chatoyais de couleurs. | You were shimmering with colors. |
il | chatoyait | Il chatoyait sous les projecteurs. | He was shimmering under the spotlights. |
elle | chatoyait | Elle chatoyait dans la lumière. | She was shimmering in the light. |
on | chatoyait | On chatoyait de bonheur. | We were shimmering with happiness. |
nous | chatoyions | Nous chatoyions de mille reflets. | We were shimmering with a thousand reflections. |
vous | chatoyiez | Vous chatoyiez de beauté. | You were shimmering with beauty. |
ils | chatoyaient | Ils chatoyaient dans la nuit. | They were shimmering in the night. |
elles | chatoyaient | Elles chatoyaient de grâce. | They were shimmering with grace. |
Other Conjugations for Chatoyer.
Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer (You’re reading it right now!)
Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatoyer
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Chatoyer – About the French Imparfait Tense
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
For regular -er verbs:
For regular -ir verbs
For regular -re verbs
Common Everyday Usage Patterns
Description of Past Habits
Background Information
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
Points to Note About the Imparfait Tense
Passé Composé vs. Imparfait
Conditional
Si Clauses
Narration
I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb chatoyer. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!