Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb criailler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb criailler

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The English translation of the French verb “criailler” is “to squawk” or “to make a racket.” The infinitive form of “criailler” is pronounced as “kree-ah-yay.”

The verb “criailler” comes from the Old French word “crier” which means “to shout” or “to cry out.” It belongs to the first group of regular -er verbs in French.

In everyday French, “criailler” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It can be used to convey the idea of someone making a loud noise, complaining, or causing a disturbance.

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

  1. Les enfants criaillaient dans la cour.
    (The children were squawking in the courtyard.)

  2. Le bébé criaillait toute la nuit.
    (The baby would squawk all night long.)

  3. Les voisins criaillaient constamment lors de leurs disputes.
    (The neighbors used to squawk constantly during their arguments.)

Please note that these translations are not literal but provide the general meaning of the sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of criailler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je criaillais Je criaillais toujours. I was always shouting.
tu criaillais Tu criaillais très fort. You were shouting very loudly.
il criaillait Il criaillait sans raison. He was shouting for no reason.
elle criaillait Elle criaillait souvent. She was shouting often.
on criaillait On criaillait ensemble. We were shouting together.
nous criaillions Nous criaillions dans la rue. We were shouting in the street.
vous criailliez Vous criailliez tout le temps. You were shouting all the time.
ils criaillaient Ils criaillaient pendant la réunion. They were shouting during the meeting.
elles criaillaient Elles criaillaient dans la cour. They were shouting in the courtyard.

Other Conjugations for Criailler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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