Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb continuer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb continuer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of continuer. 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 continuer is “to continue” or “to keep on.” The infinitive form, continuer, is pronounced as kɔ̃.ti.ny.e.

Continuer is derived from the Latin word “continuare,” meaning “to join together.” In everyday French, continuer is commonly used in the imparfait tense to express ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It indicates an action that was happening continuously, without a definite beginning or end.

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

  1. Je continuais à étudier tous les soirs.
    (I used to continue studying every evening.)
  2. Nous continuions de jouer dans le parc.
    (We kept on playing in the park.)
  3. Ils continuaient de parler malgré le bruit.
    (They were continuing to talk despite the noise.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of continuer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je continuais Je continuais à étudier. I was continuing to study.
tu continuais Tu continuais à lire. You were continuing to read.
il continuait Il continuait de travailler. He was continuing to work.
elle continuait Elle continuait de chanter. She was continuing to sing.
on continuait On continuait à jouer. We were continuing to play.
nous continuions Nous continuions de marcher. We were continuing to walk.
vous continuiez Vous continuiez à parler. You were continuing to talk.
ils continuaient Ils continuaient de danser. They were continuing to dance.
elles continuaient Elles continuaient de rire. They were continuing to laugh.

Other Conjugations for Continuer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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