Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb crisser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb crisser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of crisser. 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 “crisser” is “to screech” or “to squeak.” The infinitive form of “crisser” is pronounced as [kʁi.ˈse].

The verb “crisser” originates from the Latin word “crisare,” meaning “to creak” or “to screech.” It is an everyday French verb used to describe a high-pitched, unpleasant sound produced by a rubbing or scraping motion. In the imparfait tense, it is commonly used to express ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three examples of “crisser” used in the imparfait tense:

  1. Les freins de la voiture crissaient en descendant la colline.
    (The car brakes were screeching while going down the hill.)

  2. Les portes de l’ancien immeuble crissaient dès qu’on les ouvrait.
    (The doors of the old building would squeak every time they were opened.)

  3. Ses chaussures crissaient sur le plancher de bois.
    (His shoes would squeak on the wooden floor.)

Note: English translations provided above are not literal translations but convey the meaning of the sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of crisser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je crisais Je crisais souvent. I used to swear often.
tu crisais Tu crisais beaucoup. You used to swear a lot.
il crisait Il crisait régulièrement. He used to swear regularly.
elle crisait Elle crisait parfois. She used to swear sometimes.
on crisait On crisait en silence. We used to swear silently.
nous crisions Nous crisions ensemble. We used to swear together.
vous crisiez Vous crisiez fort. You used to swear loudly.
ils crisaients Ils crisaients sans raison. They used to swear for no reason.
elles crisaients Elles crisaients dans leur chambre. They used to swear in their room.

Other Conjugations for Crisser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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