Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb circonstancier

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb circonstancier

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The English translation of the French verb “circonstancier” is “to provide details” or “to give a detailed account.” The infinitive form of “circonstancier” is pronounced as “seer-kohn-stahn-see-ay.”

“Circonstancier” is derived from the French noun “circonstance,” which means “circumstance” or “detail.” It is typically used in everyday French in the imparfait tense to describe the action of providing or recounting details in a past situation.

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

  1. Je circonstanciais les événements de la soirée.
    (I was providing details about the events of the evening.)

  2. Tu nous circonstanciais chaque détail du voyage.
    (You were giving us a detailed account of every aspect of the trip.)

  3. Elle circonstanciait ses observations lors de la réunion.
    (She was providing details of her observations during the meeting.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of circonstancier

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je circonstanciais Je circonstanciais la situation. I was detailing the situation.
tu circonstanciais Tu circonstanciais les faits. You were detailing the facts.
il circonstanciait Il circonstanciait l’événement. He was detailing the event.
elle circonstanciait Elle circonstanciait le témoignage. She was detailing the testimony.
on circonstanciait On circonstanciait le rapport. We were detailing the report.
nous circonstanciions Nous circonstanciions l’affaire. We were detailing the case.
vous circonstanciiez Vous circonstanciiez les informations. You were detailing the information.
ils circonstanciaient Ils circonstanciaient les circonstances. They were detailing the circumstances.
elles circonstanciaient Elles circonstanciaient les détails. They were detailing the details.

Other Conjugations for Circonstancier.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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