Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb consoler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb consoler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of consoler. 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 “consoler” is “to console” or “to comfort.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “consoler” is kɔ̃.sɔ.le.

The word “consoler” originated from the Latin word “consolari,” which means “to console” or “to comfort.” In everyday French, the verb “consoler” is commonly used in the imparfait tense (imperfect tense), which expresses ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It is used to describe the act of consoling or comforting someone in the past.

Examples of “consoler” in the imparfait tense:

  1. Pendant mon enfance, ma mère me consolait toujours lorsque j’avais des chagrins.
    (During my childhood, my mother would always console me when I was sad.)

  2. Nous consolions notre ami après la perte de son emploi.
    (We were consoling our friend after the loss of his job.)

  3. Ils consolaient les personnes âgées en leur offrant leur soutien.
    (They were consoling the elderly by offering them their support.)

English translations:

  1. During my childhood, my mother would always console me when I was sad.
  2. We were consoling our friend after the loss of his job.
  3. They were consoling the elderly by offering them their support.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of consoler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je consolais Je consolais mon ami. I was consoling my friend.
tu consolais Tu consolais ta sœur. You were consoling your sister.
il consolait Il consolait son chien. He was consoling his dog.
elle consolait Elle consolait sa mère. She was consoling her mother.
on consolait On consolait les enfants. We were consoling the children.
nous consolions Nous consolions nos voisins. We were consoling our neighbors.
vous consoliez Vous consoliez vos amis. You were consoling your friends.
ils consolaient Ils consolaient leurs parents. They were consoling their parents.
elles consolaient Elles consolaient leurs camarades. They were consoling their classmates.

Other Conjugations for Consoler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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