Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb coupler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb coupler

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The English translation of the French verb “coupler” is “to couple” or “to connect.” The infinitive form of coupler is pronounced as “koo-pley.”

The word “coupler” originated from the Latin word “copulare,” which means “to join together.” In everyday French, the verb coupler is most commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of how coupler is used in the imparfait tense:

  1. Chaque matin, je couplais mon téléphone à mon ordinateur. (Every morning, I would connect my phone to my computer.)
  2. Nous couplions les wagons pour former un train long. (We would couple the wagons to form a long train.)
  3. Elle couplait les câbles électriques avec précaution. (She used to connect the electrical cables carefully.)

English translations:

  1. Every morning, I would connect my phone to my computer.
  2. We would couple the wagons to form a long train.
  3. She used to connect the electrical cables carefully.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of coupler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je couplais Je couplais les appareils. I was coupling the devices.
tu couplais Tu couplais les câbles. You were coupling the cables.
il couplait Il couplait les machines. He was coupling the machines.
elle couplait Elle couplait les pièces. She was coupling the parts.
on couplait On couplait les circuits. We were coupling the circuits.
nous couplions Nous couplions les systèmes. We were coupling the systems.
vous coupliez Vous coupliez les dispositifs. You were coupling the devices.
ils couplaient Ils couplaient les connexions. They were coupling the connections.
elles couplaient Elles couplaient les organes. They were coupling the organs.

Other Conjugations for Coupler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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