Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb combiner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb combiner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of combiner. 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 “combiner” is “to combine” or “to mix.” The infinitive form of “combiner” is pronounced as kɔ̃.bine.

The word “combiner” comes from the Latin verb “combinare,” which means “to unite.” In everyday French, it is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Here are three examples of “combiner” used in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Je combinais toujours les couleurs dans mes tableaux. (I always combined colors in my paintings.)
  2. Nous combinions nos idées pour résoudre le problème. (We used to combine our ideas to solve the problem.)
  3. Ils combinaient leurs efforts pour atteindre leur objectif. (They were combining their efforts to achieve their goal.)

In these examples, “combiner” is used to express the ongoing or habitual nature of the actions in the past using the imparfait tense.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of combiner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je combinais Je combinais les couleurs. I was combining the colors.
tu combinais Tu combinais les ingrédients. You were combining the ingredients.
il combinait Il combinait les idées. He was combining the ideas.
elle combinait Elle combinait les vêtements. She was combining the clothes.
on combinait On combinait les saveurs. We were combining the flavors.
nous combinions Nous combinions nos efforts. We were combining our efforts.
vous combiniez Vous combiniez les options. You were combining the options.
ils combinaient Ils combinaient les méthodes. They were combining the methods.
elles combinaient Elles combinaient les pièces. They were combining the pieces.

Other Conjugations for Combiner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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