Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb comparer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb comparer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of comparer. 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 “comparer” is “to compare.” The infinitive form of “comparer” is pronounced as kɔ̃.pa.ʁe.

The verb “comparer” comes from the Latin word “comparare,” which means “to match” or “to compare.” In everyday French, “comparer” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to talk about ongoing or repeated comparisons in the past. It is often used to express actions or situations that were habitual or continuous in the past.

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

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je comparais toujours les prix avant d’acheter.
    (When I was young, I would always compare prices before buying.)

  2. Ils se comparaient constamment les uns aux autres pour voir qui était le meilleur.
    (They would constantly compare themselves to each other to see who was the best.)

  3. Elle comparait toujours les deux marques avant de faire un choix.
    (She would always compare the two brands before making a choice.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of comparer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je comparais Je comparais les prix. I was comparing the prices.
tu comparais Tu comparais les options. You were comparing the options.
il comparait Il comparait les deux produits. He was comparing the two products.
elle comparait Elle comparait les tailles. She was comparing the sizes.
on comparait On comparait les performances. We were comparing the performances.
nous comparions Nous comparions les résultats. We were comparing the results.
vous compariez Vous compariez les caractéristiques. You were comparing the features.
ils comparaient Ils comparaient les marques. They were comparing the brands.
elles comparaient Elles comparaient les couleurs. They were comparing the colors.

Other Conjugations for Comparer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 comparer imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply