Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb comprimer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb comprimer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of comprimer. 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 “comprimer” is “to compress” or “to squeeze.” The infinitive form “comprimer” is pronounced as kɔ̃.pʁi.me.

The verb “comprimer” is derived from the Latin word “comprimere,” which means “to press together.” In everyday French, “comprimer” is commonly used to describe the action of physically compressing or squeezing something. It can also be used metaphorically to express the idea of suppressing or repressing something.

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

  1. Je comprimais le ressort pour le maintenir en place.
    (I was compressing the spring to hold it in place.)

  2. Pendant la réunion, il comprimait sa colère pour ne pas éclater.
    (During the meeting, he was repressing his anger to avoid bursting out.)

  3. Nous comprimions les vêtements dans la valise pour tout faire rentrer.
    (We were squeezing the clothes into the suitcase to make everything fit.)

Note: The translations provided are just approximate and may vary depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of comprimer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je comprimais Je comprimais la boîte. I was compressing the box.
tu comprimais Tu comprimais le papier. You were compressing the paper.
il comprimait Il comprimait le fichier. He was compressing the file.
elle comprimait Elle comprimait les vêtements. She was compressing the clothes.
on comprimait On comprimait les données. We were compressing the data.
nous comprimions Nous comprimions les images. We were compressing the images.
vous comprimiez Vous comprimiez les fichiers. You were compressing the files.
ils comprimaient Ils comprimaient les documents. They were compressing the documents.
elles comprimaient Elles comprimaient les vidéos. They were compressing the videos.

Other Conjugations for Comprimer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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