Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clavetter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb clavetter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of clavetter. 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 “clavetter” is “to rattle” or “to clatter.” The infinitive form, “clavetter,” is pronounced as “kla-vet-ay.”

The word “clavetter” comes from the noun “clavette,” which means “key” or “wedge.” Its language origin can be traced back to the Latin word “clavus,” which also means “key.” In everyday French, “clavetter” is often used to describe the sound of rattling, clattering, or clanking.

Here are three examples of how “clavetter” is used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Quand il dormait, la fenêtre clavettait. (When he was sleeping, the window was rattling.)
  2. Les assiettes clavettaient dans le placard chaque fois que quelqu’un passait. (The plates were clattering in the cupboard each time someone passed by.)
  3. Pendant l’orage, les tuiles du toit clavettaient sans cesse. (During the storm, the roof tiles were continuously clattering.)

Please note that the translations provided are not literal, but rather convey the general meaning of the sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of clavetter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je clavetais Je clavetais la porte. I was clattering the door.
tu clavetais Tu clavetais les clés. You were clattering the keys.
il clavetait Il clavetait le bois. He was clattering the wood.
elle clavetait Elle clavetait le métal. She was clattering the metal.
on clavetait On clavetait les objets. We were clattering the objects.
nous clavetions Nous clavetions les planches. We were clattering the planks.
vous clavetiez Vous clavetiez les boîtes. You were clattering the boxes.
ils clavetaient Ils clavetaient les outils. They were clattering the tools.
elles clavetaient Elles clavetaient les pièces. They were clattering the parts.

Other Conjugations for Clavetter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 clavetter imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply