Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Introduction to the verb conserver
The English translation of the French verb “conserver” is “to preserve” or “to keep.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “kon-ser-vey.”
The word “conserver” has its origins in the Latin verb “conservare,” meaning “to preserve” or “to maintain.” In everyday French, the verb is commonly used in the imparfait tense. The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, or to set the background of a narrative.
Here are three simple examples of “conserver” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:
- Je conservais mes souvenirs dans une boîte. (I used to keep my memories in a box.)
- Nous conservions les aliments au réfrigérateur. (We used to preserve the food in the refrigerator.)
- Elle conservait toujours les lettres qu’elle recevait. (She always kept the letters she received.)
In these examples, the verb “conserver” is used to describe actions that were regularly done in the past, indicating a habit or a repeated action.
Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of conserver
Pronoun | Conjugation | Short Example | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
je | conservais | Je conservais mes souvenirs. | I was keeping my memories. |
tu | conservais | Tu conservais le secret. | You were keeping the secret. |
il | conservait | Il conservait les documents. | He was keeping the documents. |
elle | conservait | Elle conservait la nourriture. | She was keeping the food. |
on | conservait | On conservait les traditions. | We were keeping the traditions. |
nous | conservions | Nous conservions nos habitudes. | We were keeping our habits. |
vous | conserviez | Vous conserviez vos billets. | You were keeping your tickets. |
ils | conservaient | Ils conservaient leurs affaires. | They were keeping their belongings. |
elles | conservaient | Elles conservaient leurs secrets. | They were keeping their secrets. |
Other Conjugations for Conserver.
Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver (You’re reading it right now!)
Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conserver
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 conserver imparfait tense conjugation!
Conserver – About the French Imparfait Tense
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
For regular -er verbs:
For regular -ir verbs
For regular -re verbs
Common Everyday Usage Patterns
Description of Past Habits
Background Information
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
Points to Note About the Imparfait Tense
Passé Composé vs. Imparfait
Conditional
Si Clauses
Narration
I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb conserver. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!