Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chiader

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chiader

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The English translation of the French verb “chiader” is “to fuss over/to worry about/to nitpick.” The infinitive form “chiader” is pronounced as “shee-ah-deh.”

The verb “chiader” comes from the Latin word “cadere” meaning “to fall.” In everyday French, it is used in the imparfait tense to express continuous or repeated actions in the past. It can also convey the idea of being meticulous or particular about something.

Here are three examples of how “chiader” is used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je chiadais toujours mes devoirs. (I used to fuss over my homework all the time.)
  2. Mon père chiadait sa voiture chaque semaine. (My father used to fuss over his car every week.)
  3. Elle chiadait sa tenue avant de sortir. (She used to fuss over her outfit before going out.)

In all these examples, “chiader” in the imparfait tense signifies a continuous or repeated action in the past, emphasizing the meticulous or excessive attention given to something.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chiader

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chiadais Je chiadais mes devoirs. I was working hard on my homework.
tu chiadais Tu chiadais ta présentation. You were putting effort into your presentation.
il chiadait Il chiadait son travail. He was meticulously working on his task.
elle chiadait Elle chiadait sa tenue. She was paying attention to her outfit.
on chiadait On chiadait nos projets. We were putting effort into our projects.
nous chiadions Nous chiadions nos études. We were working hard on our studies.
vous chiadiez Vous chiadiez votre jardin. You were carefully tending to your garden.
ils chiadaient Ils chiadaient leur musique. They were putting effort into their music.
elles chiadaient Elles chiadaient leurs devoirs. They were working hard on their homework.

Other Conjugations for Chiader.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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