Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cracher

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cracher

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of cracher. 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 “cracher” is “to spit.” The infinitive form of “cracher” is pronounced as [kʁa.ʃe].

The language origin of “cracher” can be traced back to the Latin word “crispāre,” which means “to curl, to twist.” In everyday French, “cracher” is used to describe the act of expelling saliva forcefully from the mouth. It can also be used figuratively to express disdain or contempt.

Here are three simple examples of the usage of “cracher” in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Je crachais par terre quand j’étais en colère.
    (I would spit on the ground when I was angry.)

  2. Tu crachais sur les insultes et gardais la tête haute.
    (You would spit on the insults and keep your head high.)

  3. Il crachait sur tout ce qui ne correspondait pas à ses idées.
    (He would spit on anything that didn’t match his ideas.)

Please note that the translations provided are not literal translations but rather convey the meaning in English.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cracher

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je crachais Je crachais par terre. I used to spit on the ground.
tu crachais Tu crachais souvent. You used to spit often.
il crachait Il crachait du feu. He used to spit fire.
elle crachait Elle crachait du venin. She used to spit venom.
on crachait On crachait des insultes. We used to spit insults.
nous crachions Nous crachions dans le verre. We used to spit in the glass.
vous crachiez Vous crachiez de dégoût. You used to spit in disgust.
ils crachaient Ils crachaient dans la rue. They used to spit in the street.
elles crachaient Elles crachaient sur le sol. They used to spit on the floor.

Other Conjugations for Cracher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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