Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb communiquer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb communiquer

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The English translation of the French verb “communiquer” is “to communicate.” The infinitive form “communiquer” is pronounced as [kɔ.my.ni.ke].

The verb “communiquer” has its origin in the Latin word “communicare,” which means “to share” or “to make common.” In everyday French, the verb is commonly used to refer to various forms of communication, such as sharing information, talking, or exchanging thoughts and ideas.

In the imparfait tense, “communiquer” is often used to describe ongoing or habitual communication in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their respective English translations:

  1. Je communiquais souvent avec mes amis par téléphone. (I used to communicate often with my friends by phone.)
  2. Pendant notre voyage, nous communiquions uniquement en français. (During our trip, we used to communicate only in French.)
  3. Elle communiquait calmement avec ses collègues lors des réunions. (She used to communicate calmly with her colleagues during meetings.)

These examples demonstrate different contexts where the verb “communiquer” is used to describe past actions or habits of communication in French.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of communiquer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je communiquais Je communiquais avec mes amis. I was communicating with my friends.
tu communiquais Tu communiquais souvent. You were communicating often.
il communiquait Il communiquait difficilement. He was communicating with difficulty.
elle communiquait Elle communiquait avec passion. She was communicating with passion.
on communiquait On communiquait sans cesse. We were communicating constantly.
nous communiquions Nous communiquions par email. We were communicating by email.
vous communiquiez Vous communiquiez efficacement. You were communicating effectively.
ils communiquaient Ils communiquaient avec enthousiasme. They were communicating with enthusiasm.
elles communiquaient Elles communiquaient avec confiance. They were communicating with confidence.

Other Conjugations for Communiquer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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