Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clayonner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb clayonner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of clayonner. 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 “clayonner” is “to stencil” or “to paint with a stencil.” The infinitive form “clayonner” is pronounced as [kla.jɔ.ne].

The word “clayonner” originates from the French noun “clayon,” which means “stencil.” It is often used in everyday French to describe the action of creating a design or pattern by using a stencil. Stenciling is commonly done in arts and crafts to add decorative elements or create repeated patterns.

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

  1. Chaque week-end, je clayonnais des motifs floraux sur mes meubles.
    (Every weekend, I would stencil floral patterns onto my furniture.)

  2. Quand j’étais enfant, ma mère clayonnait des étoiles sur les murs de ma chambre.
    (When I was a child, my mother used to stencil stars on the walls of my room.)

  3. Nous clayonnions régulièrement des lettres sur des panneaux pour une exposition.
    (We used to stencil letters on panels regularly for an exhibition.)

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

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of clayonner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je clayonnais Je clayonnais les fleurs. I was trellising the flowers.
tu clayonnais Tu clayonnais la vigne. You were trellising the vine.
il clayonnait Il clayonnait les plantes. He was trellising the plants.
elle clayonnait Elle clayonnait les tomates. She was trellising the tomatoes.
on clayonnait On clayonnait les arbres. We were trellising the trees.
nous clayonnions Nous clayonnions les légumes. We were trellising the vegetables.
vous clayonniez Vous clayonniez les plantes grimpantes. You were trellising the climbing plants.
ils clayonnaient Ils clayonnaient les rosiers. They were trellising the rose bushes.
elles clayonnaient Elles clayonnaient les melons. They were trellising the melons.

Other Conjugations for Clayonner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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