Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clapper

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb clapper

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of clapper. 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 “clapper” is “to clap.” The infinitive form of “clapper” is pronounced as /kla.pe/.

The word “clapper” has its origins in the Latin word “clappāre,” meaning “to strike with a blow, clap.” In everyday French, “clapper” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of “clapper” used in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Chaque soir, je clappais des mains en regardant le spectacle. (Every evening, I used to clap my hands while watching the show.)
  2. Quand j’étais enfant, nous clappions souvent pendant les représentations à l’école. (When I was a child, we often used to clap during school performances.)
  3. Les supporters clappaient avec enthousiasme lors des matchs de football. (The fans used to clap enthusiastically during football matches.)

Note: The imparfait tense is commonly used to describe past actions that are not seen as completed or definitive, but rather as ongoing or habitual in nature.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of clapper

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je clappais Je clappais des mains. I was clapping.
tu clappais Tu clappais fort. You were clapping loudly.
il clappait Il clappait des dents. He was clapping his teeth.
elle clappait Elle clappait des ailes. She was flapping her wings.
on clappait On clappait en rythme. We were clapping in rhythm.
nous clappions Nous clappions pour applaudir. We were clapping to applaud.
vous clappiez Vous clappiez en cadence. You were clapping in time.
ils clappaient Ils clappaient des mains. They were clapping their hands.
elles clappaient Elles clappaient de joie. They were clapping with joy.

Other Conjugations for Clapper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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