Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb claironner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb claironner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of claironner. 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 claironner is “to trumpet” or “to blare.” The infinitive form of claironner is pronounced as “clay-roh-neh.”

“Claironner” originates from the French word “clairon,” which means “bugle.” It is derived from the verb “clairer,” meaning “to make clear” or “to brighten.” In everyday French, claironner is often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of claironner used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque matin, il claironnait joyeusement pour réveiller tout le quartier.
    (Every morning, he would blare cheerfully to wake up the whole neighborhood.)

  2. Pendant la parade, l’armée claironnait en marchant fièrement.
    (During the parade, the army would trumpet while marching proudly.)

  3. Quand j’étais enfant, les oiseaux claironnaient doucement dans le jardin.
    (When I was a child, the birds would chirp softly in the garden.)

Note: The imparfait tense in French is used to describe ongoing or repetitive actions in the past, equivalent to the English past progressive or imperfect tense.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of claironner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je claironnais Je claironnais dans la rue. I was playing the trumpet in the street.
tu claironnais Tu claironnais chaque matin. You were playing the trumpet every morning.
il claironnait Il claironnait lors des cérémonies. He was playing the trumpet during the ceremonies.
elle claironnait Elle claironnait avec talent. She was playing the trumpet with talent.
on claironnait On claironnait pour annoncer l’arrivée du roi. We were playing the trumpet to announce the arrival of the king.
nous claironnions Nous claironnions lors des parades. We were playing the trumpet during the parades.
vous claironniez Vous claironniez pour réveiller tout le quartier. You were playing the trumpet to wake up the whole neighborhood.
ils claironnaient Ils claironnaient avec enthousiasme. They were playing the trumpet with enthusiasm.
elles claironnaient Elles claironnaient lors des festivités. They were playing the trumpet during the festivities.

Other Conjugations for Claironner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the claironner imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply