Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cordeler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cordeler

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The English translation of the French verb “cordeler” is “to tie with a cord” or “to bind with a string.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “cordeler” is kɔʁdle.

“cordeler” is derived from the noun “corde” (meaning “string” or “cord”) and the suffix “-eler” which is used to form verbs from nouns. In everyday French, it is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Examples of “cordeler” in the imparfait tense with their English translations are:

  1. Je cordelais les cartons tous les jours. (I used to tie the boxes every day.)
  2. Tu cordelais tes cheveux avant d’aller te coucher. (You used to tie your hair before going to bed.)
  3. Nous cordelions les paquets avec des rubans colorés. (We used to tie the packages with colorful ribbons.)

In all these examples, “cordeler” is used in the imparfait tense to indicate a regular or repeated action in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cordeler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cordelais Je cordelais les paquets. I was tying the packages.
tu cordelais Tu cordelais les livres. You were tying the books.
il cordelait Il cordelait les dossiers. He was tying the files.
elle cordelait Elle cordelait les papiers. She was tying the papers.
on cordelait On cordelait les ballots. We were tying the bales.
nous cordelions Nous cordelions les colis. We were tying the packages.
vous cordeliez Vous cordeliez les cartons. You were tying the boxes.
ils cordelaient Ils cordelaient les valises. They were tying the suitcases.
elles cordelaient Elles cordelaient les sacs. They were tying the bags.

Other Conjugations for Cordeler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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