Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb choyer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb choyer

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The English translation of the French verb “choyer” is “to pamper” or “to spoil.” The infinitive form of “choyer” is pronounced as “shwah-yay.”

The word “choyer” has its origins in the Old French word “choir,” meaning “to fall.” Over time, it developed to mean “to cherish” or “to take care of.”

In everyday French, “choyer” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. This tense indicates an action that was taking place or was repeated regularly in the past, without specifying its beginning or end.

Here are three examples of “choyer” used in the imparfait tense:

  1. Mes parents me choyaient quand j’étais enfant.
    Translation: My parents used to spoil me when I was a child.

  2. Elle choyait ses animaux de compagnie avec amour.
    Translation: She used to pamper her pets with love.

  3. Nous les choyions tous les week-ends en les emmenant au parc.
    Translation: We used to spoil them every weekend by taking them to the park.

These examples demonstrate how “choyer” in the imparfait tense describes past actions that were regular or ongoing, indicating a continuous state of pampering or spoiling.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of choyer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je choyais Je choyais mon chien. I used to spoil my dog.
tu choyais Tu choyais ta sœur. You used to spoil your sister.
il choyait Il choyait son fils. He used to spoil his son.
elle choyait Elle choyait sa fille. She used to spoil her daughter.
on choyait On choyait les invités. We used to spoil the guests.
nous choyions Nous choyions nos animaux de compagnie. We used to spoil our pets.
vous choyiez Vous choyiez vos enfants. You used to spoil your children.
ils choyaient Ils choyaient leurs petits-enfants. They used to spoil their grandchildren.
elles choyaient Elles choyaient leurs amis. They used to spoil their friends.

Other Conjugations for Choyer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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