Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb creuser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb creuser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of creuser. 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 “creuser” is “to dig.” The infinitive form “creuser” is pronounced as /kʁø.ze/.

The verb “creuser” originates from the Latin word “corrodere,” which means “to gnaw” or “to erode.” In everyday French, “creuser” is commonly used in the imparfait tense, which indicates an ongoing or repeated past action. It is often used to express actions related to digging, excavating, or creating cavities.

Examples of “creuser” in the imparfait tense:

  1. Nous creusions un trou pour planter un arbre.
    Translation: We were digging a hole to plant a tree.

  2. Tu creusais un tunnel dans la montagne.
    Translation: You were digging a tunnel through the mountain.

  3. Les archéologues creusaient pour découvrir des vestiges antiques.
    Translation: The archaeologists were digging to uncover ancient remains.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of creuser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je creusais Je creusais un trou. I was digging a hole.
tu creusais Tu creusais un puits. You were digging a well.
il creusait Il creusait un tunnel. He was digging a tunnel.
elle creusait Elle creusait une tranchée. She was digging a trench.
on creusait On creusait une fosse. We were digging a pit.
nous creusions Nous creusions un canal. We were digging a canal.
vous creusiez Vous creusiez un trou profond. You were digging a deep hole.
ils creusaient Ils creusaient des fondations. They were digging foundations.
elles creusaient Elles creusaient des tunnels souterrains. They were digging underground tunnels.

Other Conjugations for Creuser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the creuser imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply