Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb composer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb composer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of composer. 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 “composer” is “to compose.” The infinitive form “composer” is pronounced as [koɑ̃pɔze].

The word “composer” comes from the Latin word “componere,” which means “to put together” or “to arrange.” In everyday French language, “composer” is most often used in the imparfait tense, which is used to describe ongoing or habitual past actions.

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

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je composais de la musique tous les jours.
    (When I was a child, I used to compose music every day.)

  2. Nous composions une chanson pour notre groupe de musique.
    (We were composing a song for our music band.)

  3. Pendant les vacances, tu composais des poèmes magnifiques.
    (During the holidays, you used to compose beautiful poems.)

Please note that the translations provided are literal and may not reflect the most natural English phrasing.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of composer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je composais Je composais de la musique. I was composing music.
tu composais Tu composais une chanson. You were composing a song.
il composait Il composait des poèmes. He was composing poems.
elle composait Elle composait des peintures. She was composing paintings.
on composait On composait ensemble. We were composing together.
nous composions Nous composions une symphonie. We were composing a symphony.
vous composiez Vous composiez une mélodie. You were composing a melody.
ils composaient Ils composaient des musiques. They were composing music.
elles composaient Elles composaient des chansons. They were composing songs.

Other Conjugations for Composer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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