Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chevretter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chevretter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chevretter. 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 “chevretter” is “to frolic”. The pronunciation of the infinitive form “chevretter” is /ʃə.vʁə.te/.

The verb “chevretter” has its origin in the noun “chevreau” which means “kid” or “young goat”. In everyday French, “chevretter” is most often used in the imperfect tense to describe actions or behaviors related to frolicking, playing, or romping around, typically in a joyful or carefree manner.

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

  1. Quand j’étais petit, je chevrettais dans le jardin tous les jours.
    (When I was little, I used to frolic in the garden every day.)

  2. Les enfants chevrettaient dans le parc, courant et sautant partout.
    (The children were frolicking in the park, running and jumping everywhere.)

  3. Pendant les vacances, nous allions à la plage et nous chevretttions dans l’eau.
    (During the holidays, we used to go to the beach and frolic in the water.)

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

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chevretter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chevrettais Je chevrettais dans la prairie. I used to frolic in the meadow.
tu chevrettais Tu chevrettais avec les chèvres. You used to frolic with the goats.
il chevrettait Il chevrettait joyeusement. He used to frolic happily.
elle chevrettait Elle chevrettait gracieusement. She used to frolic gracefully.
on chevrettait On chevrettait en plein air. We used to frolic outdoors.
nous chevrettions Nous chevrettions tous les jours. We used to frolic every day.
vous chevrettiez Vous chevrettiez avec entrain. You used to frolic enthusiastically.
ils chevrettaient Ils chevrettaient avec plaisir. They used to frolic with pleasure.
elles chevrettaient Elles chevrettaient avec légèreté. They used to frolic lightly.

Other Conjugations for Chevretter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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