Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb coupailler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb coupailler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of coupailler. 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 “coupailler” is “to live together” or “to cohabitate.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “koo-pa-yay.”

The word “coupailler” originates from the French word “couple,” meaning “couple” or “pair.” The verb is formed by adding the suffix “-ailler” to the noun “couple.” It is most often used in everyday French to describe the act of living together or cohabitating as a couple, typically in a romantic or domestic context.

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

  1. Nous coupaillions ensemble depuis plusieurs années. (We were living together for several years.)
  2. Ils coupaillaient dans un petit appartement en ville. (They were cohabitating in a small apartment in the city.)
  3. Quand j’étais jeune, mes parents coupaillaient à la campagne. (When I was young, my parents were living together in the countryside.)

Please note that the imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of coupailler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je coupaillais Je coupaillais les légumes. I was chopping the vegetables.
tu coupaillais Tu coupaillais le pain. You were slicing the bread.
il coupaillait Il coupaillait la viande. He was cutting the meat.
elle coupaillait Elle coupaillait les fruits. She was chopping the fruits.
on coupaillait On coupaillait les herbes. We were chopping the herbs.
nous coupaillions Nous coupaillions les légumes. We were cutting the vegetables.
vous coupailliez Vous coupailliez les oignons. You were chopping the onions.
ils coupaillaient Ils coupaillaient les carottes. They were cutting the carrots.
elles coupaillaient Elles coupaillaient les pommes. They were slicing the apples.

Other Conjugations for Coupailler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the coupailler imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply