Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb commencer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb commencer

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The English translation of the French verb “commencer” is “to begin” or “to start.” The infinitive form “commencer” is pronounced as koh-mahn-sey.

Originating from the Latin word “cominitiare,” meaning “to undertake,” “commencer” entered the French language around the 12th century. It is an irregular verb, and its conjugation varies in different tenses and moods.

In everyday French, the imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It often sets the background for another action or provides details about past situations.

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

  1. Chaque jour, je commençais à lire un livre intéressant.
    (Every day, I used to start reading an interesting book.)

  2. Pendant les vacances, nous commencions toujours notre journée par un bon petit-déjeuner.
    (During the holidays, we always started our day with a good breakfast.)

  3. Quand j’étais jeune, je commençais à apprendre le piano.
    (When I was young, I started learning the piano.)

In these examples, “commencer” is used to express past actions that were habitual, repeated, or ongoing in the imparfait tense.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of commencer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je commençais Je commençais mes devoirs. I was starting my homework.
tu commençais Tu commençais à cuisiner. You were starting to cook.
il commençait Il commençait à pleuvoir. He was starting to rain.
elle commençait Elle commençait à lire. She was starting to read.
on commençait On commençait le match. We were starting the game.
nous commencions Nous commencions nos vacances. We were starting our vacation.
vous commenciez Vous commenciez à travailler. You were starting to work.
ils commençaient Ils commençaient à chanter. They were starting to sing.
elles commençaient Elles commençaient à danser. They were starting to dance.

Other Conjugations for Commencer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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