Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chevreter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chevreter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chevreter. 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 “chevreter” is “to devour” or “to gobble up.” The infinitive form “chevreter” is pronounced as “shev-ruh-tey.”

The word “chevreter” is derived from the Old French word “chivreter,” which means “to eat gluttonously.” It comes from the Latin word “gaberetare,” which has a similar meaning. In everyday French, “chevreter” is used to express the act of eating in a voracious or ravenous manner.

Here are three examples of how “chevreter” can be used in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je chevretais tous les bonbons que je trouvais.
    (When I was a child, I used to gobble up all the candies I found.)

  2. Pendant le dîner, il chevretait sa nourriture sans même prendre le temps de la savourer.
    (During dinner, he devoured his food without even taking the time to savor it.)

  3. Nous chevretions les pizzas en regardant un film.
    (We would gobble up the pizzas while watching a movie.)

Note: The imparfait tense in French is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chevreter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chevretais Je chevretais dans la ferme. I was goat herding on the farm.
tu chevretais Tu chevretais avec moi. You were goat herding with me.
il chevretait Il chevretait tranquillement. He was goat herding peacefully.
elle chevretait Elle chevretait chaque jour. She was goat herding every day.
on chevretait On chevretait en montagne. We were goat herding in the mountains.
nous chevrétions Nous chevrétions ensemble. We were goat herding together.
vous chevretiez Vous chevretiez avec passion. You were goat herding with passion.
ils chevretaient Ils chevretaient dans la prairie. They were goat herding in the meadow.
elles chevretaient Elles chevretaient avec habileté. They were goat herding skillfully.

Other Conjugations for Chevreter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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