Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contrebouter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb contrebouter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of contrebouter. 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 “contrebouter” is “to brace” or “to reinforce.” The infinitive form “contrebouter” is pronounced as “kon-truh-boo-tey.”

The word “contrebouter” has its origins in the Old French word “contreboutier,” which means “to support” or “to prop up.” It is a compound verb formed by combining the prefix “contre-” (meaning “against” or “opposite”) and the verb “bouter” (meaning “to push” or “to thrust”).

In everyday French, the verb “contrebouter” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Chaque soir, je le contreboutais pour qu’il puisse s’asseoir confortablement.
    (Every evening, I would brace him so he could sit comfortably.)

  2. Pendant des années, ils contreboutaient les murs pour renforcer la structure de la maison.
    (For years, they would brace the walls to reinforce the structure of the house.)

  3. Quand j’étais enfant, mon père me contreboutait pour m’apprendre à rester droit.
    (When I was a child, my father would brace me to teach me to stand up straight.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of contrebouter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je contreboutais Je contreboutais le plan. I was reinforcing the plan.
tu contreboutais Tu contreboutais la structure. You were reinforcing the structure.
il contreboutait Il contreboutait le mur. He was reinforcing the wall.
elle contreboutait Elle contreboutait l’étagère. She was reinforcing the shelf.
on contreboutait On contreboutait les piliers. We were reinforcing the pillars.
nous contreboutions Nous contreboutions le plafond. We were reinforcing the ceiling.
vous contreboutiez Vous contreboutiez les fondations. You were reinforcing the foundations.
ils contreboutaient Ils contreboutaient les planchers. They were reinforcing the floors.
elles contreboutaient Elles contreboutaient les escaliers. They were reinforcing the stairs.

Other Conjugations for Contrebouter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 contrebouter imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply