Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clapoter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb clapoter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of clapoter. 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 “clapoter” is “to lap” or “to splash gently.” The infinitive form of “clapoter” is pronounced as [kla.po.te].

The language origin of “clapoter” can be traced back to the Middle French word “clapoudre,” which means “to make a noise by striking water.” It is most often used in everyday French in the imparfait tense to describe past ongoing or repeated actions.

Three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their respective English translations, are as follows:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je clapotais dans la piscine tous les étés.
    (When I was a child, I used to splash in the pool every summer.)

  2. Pendant la pluie, les gouttes clapotaient contre la fenêtre.
    (During the rain, the drops were lapping against the window.)

  3. Nous nous installions près de la rivière et écoutions l’eau clapoter.
    (We used to sit by the river and listen to the water lapping.)

Please note that these translations are not literal but capture the essence of the meaning in English.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of clapoter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je clapotais Je clapotais dans la piscine. I was splashing in the pool.
tu clapotais Tu clapotais joyeusement. You were splashing happily.
il clapotait Il clapotait sur le lac. He was splashing on the lake.
elle clapotait Elle clapotait avec les mains. She was splashing with her hands.
on clapotait On clapotait sous la pluie. We were splashing in the rain.
nous clapotions Nous clapotions dans la mer. We were splashing in the sea.
vous clapotiez Vous clapotiez dans la mare. You were splashing in the pond.
ils clapotaient Ils clapotaient dans la rivière. They were splashing in the river.
elles clapotaient Elles clapotaient dans la fontaine. They were splashing in the fountain.

Other Conjugations for Clapoter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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