Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb courber

Introduction to the verb courber

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The English translation of the French verb “courber” is “to bend” or “to curve.” The infinitive form of “courber” is pronounced as “koor-bey.”

The word “courber” comes from the Latin word “curvare,” which means “to bend” or “to curve.” In everyday French, “courber” is used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of “courber” in the imparfait tense and their English translations:

  1. Je courbais toujours les branches du cerisier. (I used to always bend the branches of the cherry tree.)
  2. Tu courbais ton dos en travaillant. (You used to bend your back while working.)
  3. Ils courbaient la barre en métal. (They used to bend the metal bar.)

Please note that the translations are not literal but convey the meaning of the sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of courber

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je courbais Je courbais la branche. I was bending the branch.
tu courbais Tu courbais la règle. You were bending the ruler.
il courbait Il courbait le tuyau. He was bending the pipe.
elle courbait Elle courbait son dos. She was bending her back.
on courbait On courbait les barres. We were bending the bars.
nous courbions Nous courbions les branches. We were bending the branches.
vous courbiez Vous courbiez le fil. You were bending the wire.
ils courbaient Ils courbaient les tiges. They were bending the stems.
elles courbaient Elles courbaient les genoux. They were bending their knees.

Other Conjugations for Courber.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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