Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb circuler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb circuler

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The English translation of the French verb “circuler” is “to circulate” or “to move around.” The infinitive form of circuler is pronounced as “seer-kew-lay.”

Circuler is derived from the Latin word “circulus,” meaning “circle.” It is primarily used in everyday French to express the action of moving or circulating in a specific area or along a particular route. It can also refer to the circulation of information, rumors, or money.

In the imparfait tense, circuler is often used to describe habitual or ongoing actions in the past.

Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense:

  1. Chaque matin, je circulais en vélo dans le parc. (Every morning, I used to ride my bike around in the park.)
  2. Les trains circulaient régulièrement toutes les heures. (The trains used to circulate regularly every hour.)
  3. Pendant les vacances, beaucoup de voitures circulaient sur les autoroutes. (During the holidays, many cars were circulating on the highways.)

English translations:

  1. Every morning, I used to ride my bike around in the park.
  2. The trains used to circulate regularly every hour.
  3. During the holidays, many cars were circulating on the highways.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of circuler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je circulais Je circulais en voiture. I was driving.
tu circulais Tu circulais lentement. You were driving slowly.
il circulait Il circulait dans la ville. He was driving in the city.
elle circulait Elle circulait à vélo. She was cycling.
on circulait On circulait en bus. We were traveling by bus.
nous circulions Nous circulions en train. We were traveling by train.
vous circuliez Vous circuliez en avion. You were traveling by plane.
ils circulaient Ils circulaient à pied. They were walking.
elles circulaient Elles circulaient en scooter. They were riding a scooter.

Other Conjugations for Circuler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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