Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chevronner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chevronner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chevronner. 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 “chevronner” is “to pattern with chevrons” or “to chevron.” The infinitive form “chevronner” is pronounced as shev-roh-neh.

The verb “chevronner” is derived from the noun “chevron,” which means “chevron” in English. It has its origin in the French word “chevrons” meaning “rafter” or “gable,” referring to the shape of the chevron pattern resembling the rafters of a roof.

In everyday French, the verb “chevronner” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, as well as to set the scene or provide background information.

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

  1. Je chevronnais les murs de ma chambre.
    (I used to pattern the walls of my room with chevrons.)

  2. Elle chevronnait ses vêtements pour les personnaliser.
    (She used to chevron her clothes to personalize them.)

  3. Nous chevronnions chaque pièce du puzzle.
    (We used to chevron each piece of the puzzle.)

Note: As “chevronner” is a less common verb, these examples are intended to illustrate its usage in the imparfait tense and may not represent the most typical phrases used in everyday French.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chevronner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chevronnais Je chevronnais le bois. I was chevronning the wood.
tu chevronnais Tu chevronnais le tissu. You were chevronning the fabric.
il chevronnait Il chevronnait les murs. He was chevronning the walls.
elle chevronnait Elle chevronnait les vêtements. She was chevronning the clothes.
on chevronnait On chevronnait la surface. We were chevronning the surface.
nous chevronnions Nous chevronnions les planches. We were chevronning the boards.
vous chevronniez Vous chevronniez le métal. You were chevronning the metal.
ils chevronnaient Ils chevronnaient les carreaux. They were chevronning the tiles.
elles chevronnaient Elles chevronnaient les chaussures. They were chevronning the shoes.

Other Conjugations for Chevronner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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