Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chialer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chialer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chialer. 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 “chialer” is “to whine” or “to cry.” The infinitive form “chialer” is pronounced as “she-ah-leh.”

The word “chialer” originates from Canadian French and is derived from the Quebec French word “chialeux,” meaning “whiny” or “complaining.” In everyday French, “chialer” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

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

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je chialais tout le temps pour avoir des bonbons.
    (When I was a child, I used to whine all the time to get candies.)

  2. Pendant les vacances, ma sœur chialait parce qu’elle voulait aller à la plage tous les jours.
    (During the holidays, my sister would whine because she wanted to go to the beach every day.)

  3. Nous chialions constamment sur le mauvais temps en Bretagne.
    (We would constantly whine about the bad weather in Brittany.)

Note: The given translations aim to capture the meaning of the sentences, but may not be an exact literal translation.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chialer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chiais Je chiais tout le temps. I used to cry all the time.
tu chiais Tu chiais beaucoup. You used to cry a lot.
il chiait Il chiait souvent. He used to cry often.
elle chiait Elle chiait sans raison. She used to cry without reason.
on chiait On chiait ensemble. We used to cry together.
nous chialions Nous chialions devant le film. We used to cry during the movie.
vous chialiez Vous chialiez pour rien. You used to cry for no reason.
ils chiaient Ils chiaient quand ils étaient petits. They used to cry when they were little.
elles chiaient Elles chiaient pendant les disputes. They used to cry during arguments.

Other Conjugations for Chialer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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