Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb couiner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb couiner

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The English translation of the French verb “couiner” is “to squeak” or “to squeal.” The infinitive form of couiner is pronounced as “kwee-neh.”

The word “couiner” comes from the onomatopoeic sound it represents, similar to the squeaking or squealing noise. In everyday French, the verb “couiner” is most often used in the imparfait tense (imperfect tense), which is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of “couiner” in the imparfait tense, along with their respective English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais petite, ma souris en peluche couinait tout le temps.
    (When I was little, my stuffed mouse used to squeak all the time.)

  2. Les pneus de sa voiture couinaient dès qu’il tournait.
    (The tires of his car used to squeal every time he turned.)

  3. Pendant la réunion, la chaise de mon voisin couinait sans cesse.
    (During the meeting, my neighbor’s chair kept squeaking.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, and the English translations provided reflect this usage. However, the English translations can vary depending on the context and intended meaning.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of couiner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je couinais Je couinais de douleur. I was squeaking in pain.
tu couinais Tu couinais de peur. You were squeaking in fear.
il couinait Il couinait toute la nuit. He was squeaking all night.
elle couinait Elle couinait de frustration. She was squeaking in frustration.
on couinait On couinait à chaque pas. We were squeaking with every step.
nous couinions Nous couinions de joie. We were squeaking with joy.
vous couiniez Vous couiniez de plaisir. You were squeaking with pleasure.
ils couinaient Ils couinaient sans arrêt. They were squeaking non-stop.
elles couinaient Elles couinaient de colère. They were squeaking in anger.

Other Conjugations for Couiner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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