Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chouriner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chouriner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of chouriner. 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 “chouriner” is “to whine” or “to complain.” The infinitive form of “chouriner” is pronounced as “shoo-ree-neh.”

“Chouriner” is derived from the French slang word “chourin” which means “knife.” It originates from the Romani language, spoken by Romani people who are also known as Gypsies. In everyday French, “chouriner” is commonly used to describe someone complaining in an annoying or persistent manner.

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

  1. Je chourinais tout le temps quand j’étais enfant.
    (I used to whine/ complain all the time when I was a child.)

  2. Tu chourinais sans cesse à propos de tes devoirs.
    (You used to constantly whine/ complain about your homework.)

  3. Il/Elle chourinait chaque fois qu’il/elle devait faire du ménage.
    (He/She used to whine/ complain every time he/she had to do the cleaning.)

Please note that the translations can vary depending on the specific context and meaning.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of chouriner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je chourinais Je chourinais pour obtenir ce que je voulais. I used to whine to get what I wanted.
tu chourinais Tu chourinais tout le temps quand tu étais enfant. You used to whine all the time when you were a child.
il chourinait Il chourinait dès qu’il n’obtenait pas ce qu’il voulait. He used to whine whenever he didn’t get what he wanted.
elle chourinait Elle chourinait pour attirer l’attention. She used to whine to get attention.
on chourinait On chourinait devant le magasin pour obtenir un rabais. We used to whine in front of the store to get a discount.
nous chourinions Nous chourinions quand nous étions fatigués. We used to whine when we were tired.
vous chouriniez Vous chouriniez pour éviter de faire vos devoirs. You used to whine to avoid doing your homework.
ils chourinaient Ils chourinaient parce qu’ils étaient jaloux. They used to whine because they were jealous.
elles chourinaient Elles chourinaient lorsqu’elles étaient contrariées. They used to whine when they were upset.

Other Conjugations for Chouriner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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