Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb crisper

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb crisper

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The English translation of the French verb “crisper” is “to crisp” or “to make crispy.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “crisper” is [kʁis.pe].

The word “crisper” originates from the Old French word “crispe,” which means “curled” or “crispy.” It is derived from the Latin word “crispus,” meaning “curled” or “wavy.”

In everyday French, the verb “crisper” in the imparfait tense (imperfect tense) is often used to describe actions or states in the past that were ongoing or repeated. It is commonly used to talk about something that used to make someone uncomfortable or tense.

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

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, le bruit des craies sur le tableau noir me crispait.
    (When I was a child, the sound of chalk on the blackboard used to make me tense.)

  2. Les critiques négatives du professeur la crispaient pendant les cours.
    (The teacher’s negative criticisms used to make her tense during classes.)

  3. La présence du chien du voisin crispait toujours mon père.
    (The presence of the neighbor’s dog always made my father uncomfortable.)

Note: These translations are not always literal as the use of the imparfait tense can vary depending on the context. The translations provided aim to convey the general meaning and sense of the sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of crisper

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je crispais Je crispais les légumes. I used to crisp the vegetables.
tu crispais Tu crispais le pain. You used to crisp the bread.
il crispait Il crispait les chips. He used to crisp the chips.
elle crispait Elle crispait les frites. She used to crisp the fries.
on crispait On crispait les aliments. We used to crisp the food.
nous crispions Nous crispions les feuilles. We used to crisp the leaves.
vous crispiez Vous crispiez les gaufres. You used to crisp the waffles.
ils crispaient Ils crispaient les crackers. They used to crisp the crackers.
elles crispaient Elles crispaient les biscuits. They used to crisp the cookies.

Other Conjugations for Crisper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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