Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb corner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb corner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of corner. 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 “corner” is “to frame” or “to trap.” The infinitive form of “corner” is pronounced as /kɔʁ.ne/.

The word “corner” in French has an interesting language origin. It comes from the Old French word “corn,” meaning “horn,” which referred to a hunting technique where hunters trapped animals in a corner or narrow passage. Over time, the word evolved and took on the meaning of “to frame” or “to trap” in a general sense.

In everyday French, the imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated past actions. Here are three simple examples of how “corner” is used in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je corner les photos de mes amis. (When I was a child, I would frame the pictures of my friends.)
  2. Tu cornais toujours les mots dans ton cahier. (You used to frame the words in your notebook all the time.)
  3. Elle cornait ses diplômes pour les accrocher sur le mur. (She used to frame her diplomas to hang them on the wall.)

Please note that the translations may vary based on the context of the sentence.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of corner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cornerais Je cornerais fort. I would corner strongly.
tu cornerais Tu cornerais souvent. You would corner often.
il cornerait Il cornerait précisément. He would corner precisely.
elle cornerait Elle cornerait habillement. She would corner skillfully.
on cornerait On cornerait avec enthousiasme. We would corner with enthusiasm.
nous cornerions Nous cornerions rapidement. We would corner quickly.
vous corneriez Vous corneriez facilement. You would corner easily.
ils corneraient Ils corneraient agressivement. They would corner aggressively.
elles corneraient Elles corneraient doucement. They would corner gently.

Other Conjugations for Corner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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