Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb civiliser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb civiliser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of civiliser. 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 “civiliser” is “to civilize.” The infinitive form of “civiliser” is pronounced as see-vee-lee-zay.

The verb “civiliser” originates from the Latin word “civilis,” meaning “civil” or “polite.” In everyday French, it is commonly used in the imparfait tense, which expresses ongoing or habitual actions in the past. In this tense, “civiliser” can describe the process of bringing civilization or culture to a society, as well as the act of refining or educating individuals.

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

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, mes parents me civilisaient en m’emmenant au musée tous les week-ends.
    (When I was young, my parents used to civilize me by taking me to the museum every weekend.)

  2. Les colons essayaient de civiliser les peuples autochtones en leur enseignant leur langue et leur culture.
    (The colonizers were trying to civilize the indigenous peoples by teaching them their language and culture.)

  3. Dans le passé, l’éducation était considérée comme un moyen de civiliser les individus et de leur inculquer des valeurs.
    (In the past, education was considered a way to civilize individuals and instill values in them.)

Please note that the translations provided are not word-for-word, but aim to convey the general meaning of the sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of civiliser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je civilisais Je civilisais les tribus. I was civilizing the tribes.
tu civilisais Tu civilisais les peuples. You were civilizing the peoples.
il civilisait Il civilisait les colonies. He was civilizing the colonies.
elle civilisait Elle civilisait les sociétés. She was civilizing the societies.
on civilisait On civilisait les cultures. We were civilizing the cultures.
nous civilisions Nous civilisions les régions. We were civilizing the regions.
vous civilisiez Vous civilisiez les nations. You were civilizing the nations.
ils civilisaient Ils civilisaient les territoires. They were civilizing the territories.
elles civilisaient Elles civilisaient les communautés. They were civilizing the communities.

Other Conjugations for Civiliser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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