Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contreplaquer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb contreplaquer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of contreplaquer. 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 “contreplaquer” is “to laminate.” The infinitive form of this verb is pronounced as “kohn-truh-plah-kay.”

The word “contreplaquer” is derived from the combination of the French words “contre” (against) and “plaquer” (to press/stick). It refers to the action of gluing or pressing a thin layer of wood or another material onto a surface to strengthen or decorate it.

In everyday French, the verb “contreplaquer” is most commonly 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 along with their English translations:

  1. Je contreplaquais les meubles pour les protéger. (I used to laminate furniture to protect them.)
  2. Tu contreplaquais les murs de ta chambre pour isoler le bruit. (You used to laminate the walls of your room to soundproof it.)
  3. Il/Elle contreplaquait les étagères pour les rendre plus solides. (He/She used to laminate the shelves to make them sturdier.)

Note: The imparfait tense in English is equivalent to the simple past tense or the past progressive tense, depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of contreplaquer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je contreplaquais Je contreplaquais les meubles. I was plywooding the furniture.
tu contreplaquais Tu contreplaquais la porte. You were plywooding the door.
il contreplaquait Il contreplaquait les fenêtres. He was plywooding the windows.
elle contreplaquait Elle contreplaquait les murs. She was plywooding the walls.
on contreplaquait On contreplaquait les planches. We were plywooding the planks.
nous contreplaquions Nous contreplaquions le sol. We were plywooding the floor.
vous contreplaquiez Vous contreplaquiez les étagères. You were plywooding the shelves.
ils contreplaquaient Ils contreplaquaient les meubles. They were plywooding the furniture.
elles contreplaquaient Elles contreplaquaient les portes. They were plywooding the doors.

Other Conjugations for Contreplaquer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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