Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cloquer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cloquer

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The English translation of the French verb “cloquer” is “to blister” or “to crack.” The infinitive form, “cloquer,” is pronounced as “kloh-ke.”

The word “cloquer” originates from the Old French word “cloque,” meaning “blister” or “bubble.” It is derived from the Latin word “clavicula,” which means “little key” or “lock.”

In everyday French, “cloquer” is most often used in the imperfect tense. The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It is often used to set the scene or provide background information.

Here are three simple examples of how “cloquer” can be used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, ma peau cloquait facilement au soleil.
    (When I was young, my skin would blister easily in the sun.)

  2. La peinture sur les murs cloquait à cause de l’humidité.
    (The paint on the walls would crack due to the humidity.)

  3. Pendant l’été, mes pieds cloquaient à force de marcher sans chaussures.
    (During summer, my feet would blister from walking barefoot.)

Please note that when using the verb “cloquer” in the imparfait tense, it is important to conjugate it based on the subject and context of the sentence.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cloquer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cloquais Je cloquais d’impatience. I was blistering with impatience.
tu cloquais Tu cloquais de colère. You were seething with anger.
il cloquait Il cloquait de chaleur. He was blistering with heat.
elle cloquait Elle cloquait de douleur. She was blistering with pain.
on cloquait On cloquait de jalousie. We were blistering with jealousy.
nous cloquions Nous cloquions de fatigue. We were blistering with fatigue.
vous cloquiez Vous cloquiez d’ennui. You were blistering with boredom.
ils cloquaient Ils cloquaient de froid. They were blistering with cold.
elles cloquaient Elles cloquaient de soleil. They were blistering with sun.

Other Conjugations for Cloquer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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