Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Introduction to the verb clignoter
The English translation of the French verb “clignoter” is “to blink” or “to flash.” The infinitive form of “clignoter” is pronounced as “klee-nyo-tey.”
The word “clignoter” originates from the Latin word “clinare,” meaning “to incline” or “to bend.” It entered the French language in the 16th century. In everyday French, “clignoter” is commonly used to describe the action of blinking or flashing, particularly in relation to lights or signals.
Here are three examples of the usage of “clignoter” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:
- Chaque soir, les lumières du sapin de Noël clignotaient doucement. (Every evening, the lights of the Christmas tree would blink softly.)
- Quand j’étais enfant, je me rappelle que les feux de circulation clignotaient beaucoup plus lentement. (When I was a child, I remember that the traffic lights used to flash much more slowly.)
- Les étoiles clignotaient dans le ciel noir, créant une atmosphère magique. (The stars were blinking in the dark sky, creating a magical atmosphere.)
Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of clignoter
Pronoun | Conjugation | Short Example | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
je | clignotais | Je clignotais des yeux. | I was blinking. |
tu | clignotais | Tu clignotais des feux. | You were flashing lights. |
il | clignotait | Il clignotait rapidement. | He was blinking rapidly. |
elle | clignotait | Elle clignotait de plaisir. | She was blinking with pleasure. |
on | clignotait | On clignotait dans l’obscurité. | We were blinking in the dark. |
nous | clignotions | Nous clignotions des paupières. | We were blinking our eyelids. |
vous | clignotiez | Vous clignotiez des yeux. | You were blinking. |
ils | clignotaient | Ils clignotaient en rythme. | They were blinking in rhythm. |
elles | clignotaient | Elles clignotaient de toutes les couleurs. | They were blinking in all colors. |
Other Conjugations for Clignoter.
Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter (You’re reading it right now!)
Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clignoter
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Clignoter – About the French Imparfait Tense
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
For regular -er verbs:
For regular -ir verbs
For regular -re verbs
Common Everyday Usage Patterns
Description of Past Habits
Background Information
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
Points to Note About the Imparfait Tense
Passé Composé vs. Imparfait
Conditional
Si Clauses
Narration
I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb clignoter. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!