Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb coexister

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb coexister

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of coexister. 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 “coexister” is “to coexist.” The infinitive form “coexister” is pronounced as “ko-egzis-teh.”

The verb “coexister” originates from the Latin word “coexistere,” which is a combination of the prefix “co-” meaning “together” and the verb “existere” meaning “to exist.” In everyday French, “coexister” is commonly used to express the idea of existing or living together harmoniously with others or in a specific context.

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

  1. Pendant de nombreuses années, les différentes communautés religieuses coexistaient pacifiquement dans le quartier. (For many years, the different religious communities coexisted peacefully in the neighborhood.)

  2. Les diverses espèces animales coexistaient en parfaite harmonie dans cette réserve naturelle. (The diverse animal species coexisted in perfect harmony in this nature reserve.)

  3. Malgré leurs différences culturelles, les habitants du village coexistaient dans une atmosphère de tolérance et de respect mutuel. (Despite their cultural differences, the villagers coexisted in an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, and it often sets the background or context for another action or event.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of coexister

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je coexistais Je coexistais avec lui. I was coexisting with him.
tu coexistais Tu coexistais avec elle. You were coexisting with her.
il coexistait Il coexistait avec nous. He was coexisting with us.
elle coexistait Elle coexistait avec eux. She was coexisting with them.
on coexistait On coexistait pacifiquement. We were coexisting peacefully.
nous coexistions Nous coexistions avec les autres. We were coexisting with others.
vous coexistiez Vous coexistiez sans problème. You were coexisting without issue.
ils coexistaient Ils coexistaient en harmonie. They were coexisting in harmony.
elles coexistaient Elles coexistaient dans le même environnement. They were coexisting in the same environment.

Other Conjugations for Coexister.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 coexister imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply