Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb corseter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb corseter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of corseter. 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 corseter is “to corset” or “to lace up.” The infinitive form, corseter, is pronounced as kɔʁ.sə.te.

Corseter is derived from the noun corset, which comes from the Old French word cors, meaning “body.” It’s most often used in everyday French in the imparfait tense, which is used to describe ongoing or repeated past actions.

Here are three simple examples of corseter in the imparfait tense:

  1. Je corsetais tous les jours avant d’aller au travail.
    Translation: I used to corset every day before going to work.

  2. Elle corsetait lentement, en prenant soin de ne pas trop serrer.
    Translation: She used to corset slowly, taking care not to lace up too tightly.

  3. Nous corsetions nos robes pour les grandes occasions.
    Translation: We used to lace up our dresses for special occasions.

In these examples, “corsetais,” “corsetait,” and “corsetions” are the imparfait forms of corseter used with different subject pronouns.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of corseter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je corsetais Je corsetais ma robe. I was corseting my dress.
tu corsetais Tu corsetais le tissu. You were corseting the fabric.
il corsetait Il corsetait son corsage. He was corseting his bodice.
elle corsetait Elle corsetait son corset. She was corseting her corset.
on corsetait On corsetait les vêtements. We were corseting the clothes.
nous corsetions Nous corsetions nos robes. We were corseting our dresses.
vous corsetiez Vous corsetiez les lacets. You were corseting the laces.
ils corsetaient Ils corsetaient leurs chemises. They were corseting their shirts.
elles corsetaient Elles corsetaient leurs jupes. They were corseting their skirts.

Other Conjugations for Corseter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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