Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clapser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb clapser

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The English translation of the French verb “clapser” is “to collapse”. The infinitive form is pronounced as “klap-seh”.

“Clapser” originates from the French word “clapier”, which means “rabbit hutch”. It is derived from the word “clapier” due to the rabbit hutch’s tendency to collapse or fall apart. In everyday French, “clapser” is used to describe the action of something collapsing, breaking down, or falling apart.

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

  1. Tous les jours, la vieille maison clapserait un peu plus.
    (Every day, the old house would collapse a little bit more.)
  2. Les économies du pays clapsaient lentement.
    (The country’s economy was slowly collapsing.)
  3. Pendant l’accident, la structure du pont clapserait sous la pression.
    (During the accident, the bridge’s structure would collapse under the pressure.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of clapser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je clapsais Je clapsais tous les jours. I used to collapse every day.
tu clapsais Tu clapsais facilement. You used to collapse easily.
il clapsait Il clapsait sous la chaleur. He used to collapse under the heat.
elle clapsait Elle clapsait de fatigue. She used to collapse from exhaustion.
on clapsait On clapsait après l’effort. We used to collapse after exertion.
nous clapsions Nous clapsions de rire. We used to collapse with laughter.
vous clapsiez Vous clapsiez de surprise. You used to collapse from surprise.
ils clapsaient Ils clapsaient de faim. They used to collapse from hunger.
elles clapsaient Elles clapsaient de sommeil. They used to collapse from sleepiness.

Other Conjugations for Clapser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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