Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb courser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb courser

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The English translation of the French verb “courser” is “to chase” or “to run after.” The infinitive form “courser” is pronounced as [koo(r)-se].

The word “courser” originates from the Old French word “coursier,” which means “runner” or “courier.” It comes from the Latin word “cursor,” which also means “runner.”

In everyday French, the verb “courser” is commonly used in the imparfait tense, which expresses ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It is often used to describe repetitive or continuous chasing or running after something.

Here are three examples of “courser” used in the imparfait tense:

  1. Je courais après mon chien tous les matins.
    (I used to chase after my dog every morning.)

  2. Les enfants couraient après les papillons dans le parc.
    (The children were running after butterflies in the park.)

  3. Ils coursaient le voleur à travers les rues de la ville.
    (They were chasing the thief through the city streets.)

English translations:

  1. I used to chase after my dog every morning.
  2. The children were running after butterflies in the park.
  3. They were chasing the thief through the city streets.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of courser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je courais Je courais tous les jours. I used to run every day.
tu courais Tu courais très vite. You used to run very fast.
il courait Il courait pour attraper le bus. He used to run to catch the bus.
elle courait Elle courait dans le parc. She used to run in the park.
on courait On courait ensemble. We used to run together.
nous courions Nous courions dans la forêt. We used to run in the forest.
vous couriez Vous couriez pour gagner. You used to run to win.
ils couraient Ils couraient sur la plage. They used to run on the beach.
elles couraient Elles couraient tous les matins. They used to run every morning.

Other Conjugations for Courser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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