Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb crêper

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb crêper

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of crêper. 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 “crêper” is “to make crepes.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “crêper” is [kʁɛ.pe].

The verb “crêper” comes from the noun “crêpe,” which refers to the thin pancake typically associated with France. The word “crêpe” originates from the Latin word “crispa,” meaning “curled” or “wrinkled,” which refers to the texture of the edges of the pancake. In everyday French, “crêper” is used to describe the action of making or preparing crepes.

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

  1. Chaque dimanche, ma mère me crêpait des crêpes délicieuses.
    (Every Sunday, my mother used to make me delicious crepes.)
  2. Quand j’étais enfant, nous crêpions des crêpes au caramel pour le goûter.
    (When I was a child, we used to make caramel crepes for snack time.)
  3. Pendant les vacances, nous crêpions souvent des crêpes à la confiture.
    (During the holidays, we used to frequently make jam-filled crepes.)

These examples illustrate how “crêper” is used in the imparfait tense to describe past habitual actions or states.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of crêper

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je crépais Je crépais les cheveux. I used to curl the hair.
tu crépais Tu crépais les vêtements. You used to crimp the clothes.
il crépait Il crépait la pâte. He used to crepe the batter.
elle crépait Elle crépait les crêpes. She used to make crêpes.
on crépait On crépait les galettes. We used to make galettes.
nous crépions Nous crépions le tissu. We used to crepe the fabric.
vous crépiez Vous crépiez les murs. You used to plaster the walls.
ils crépaient Ils crépaient les surfaces. They used to crumble the surfaces.
elles crépaient Elles crépaient le plâtre. They used to crumble the plaster.

Other Conjugations for Crêper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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