Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb corréler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb corréler

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The English translation of the French verb “corréler” is “to correlate.” The infinitive form of “corréler” is pronounced as “koh-ray-leh.”

The word “corréler” originated from the Latin word “correlāre,” which means “to compare.” In everyday French, “corréler” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to express a past ongoing action or habit. The imparfait tense is used to set the background or describe past situations without a specific endpoint.

Here are three examples of “corréler” used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je corrélais mes études avec mes loisirs.
    (I used to correlate my studies with my hobbies.)
  2. Nous corrélions les résultats de nos recherches pour trouver des tendances.
    (We used to correlate the results of our research to find trends.)
  3. Les scientifiques corrél[aient] les données de l’expérience pour en tirer des conclusions.
    (The scientists used to correlate the data from the experiment to draw conclusions.)

Note: The verb “corréler” is conjugated in the imparfait tense as “corrélais” for the pronoun “je,” “corrélions” for the pronoun “nous,” and “corrél[aient]” for the pronoun “ils/elles.”

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of corréler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je corrélais Je corrélais les données. I was correlating the data.
tu corrélais Tu corrélais les variables. You were correlating the variables.
il corrélait Il corrélait les résultats. He was correlating the results.
elle corrélait Elle corrélait les informations. She was correlating the information.
on corrélait On corrélait les facteurs. We were correlating the factors.
nous corrélations Nous corrélations les données. We were correlating the data.
vous corrélait Vous corrélait les variables. You were correlating the variables.
ils corrélait Ils corrélait les résultats. They were correlating the results.
elles corrélait Elles corrélait les informations. They were correlating the information.

Other Conjugations for Corréler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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