Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb constiper

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb constiper

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of constiper. 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 “constiper” is “to cause constipation” or “to become constipated.” The infinitive form, “constiper,” is pronounced as kɔ̃s.ti.pe.

The word “constiper” comes from the Latin “constipare,” meaning “to press or crowd together.” In everyday French, it is often used to describe the act of experiencing constipation or causing someone to become constipated.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque fois que je mangeais de la viande rouge, je me constipais.
    (Every time I ate red meat, I would become constipated.)

  2. Quand j’étais enfant, je constipais souvent mes camarades en leur donnant des bonbons.
    (When I was a child, I would often cause my classmates to become constipated by giving them candies.)

  3. Pendant la grossesse, ma sœur se constipait régulièrement.
    (During pregnancy, my sister would regularly experience constipation.)

Please note that the translations provided are literal and may vary depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of constiper

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je constipais Je constipais souvent. I used to be constipated often.
tu constipais Tu constipais facilement. You used to get constipated easily.
il constipait Il constipait ses patients. He used to constipate his patients.
elle constipait Elle constipait après certains repas. She used to get constipated after certain meals.
on constipait On constipait souvent en voyage. We used to get constipated often while traveling.
nous constipions Nous constipions à cause du stress. We used to get constipated because of stress.
vous constipiez Vous constipiez facilement. You used to get constipated easily.
ils constipaient Ils constipaient tout le temps. They used to get constipated all the time.
elles constipaient Elles se constipaient après avoir mangé certains aliments. They used to get constipated after eating certain foods.

Other Conjugations for Constiper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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