Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb convoiter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb convoiter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of convoiter. 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 “convoiter” is “to covet.” The infinitive form “convoiter” is pronounced as “kawn-vwah-tay.”

The word “convoiter” originates from the Latin word “concupiscere,” which means “to desire eagerly.” In everyday French, “convoiter” is used in the imparfait tense to express a desire or longing for something in the past.

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

  1. J’étais en train de convoiter cette belle voiture.
    (I was coveting that beautiful car.)

  2. Nous convoitions toujours les bonbons de notre voisin.
    (We were always coveting our neighbor’s candies.)

  3. Elle convoitait secrètement le succès de son collègue.
    (She was secretly coveting her colleague’s success.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of convoiter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je convoitais Je convoitais son succès. I was coveting his success.
tu convoitais Tu convoitais sa voiture. You were coveting his car.
il convoitait Il convoitait sa position. He was coveting his position.
elle convoitait Elle convoitait son talent. She was coveting his talent.
on convoitait On convoitait leur richesse. We were coveting their wealth.
nous convoitions Nous convoitions leur maison. We were coveting their house.
vous convoitiez Vous convoitiez leur pouvoir. You were coveting their power.
ils convoitaient Ils convoitaient leur réussite. They were coveting their success.
elles convoitaient Elles convoitaient leur bonheur. They were coveting their happiness.

Other Conjugations for Convoiter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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