Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb criticailler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb criticailler

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The English translation of the French verb “criticailler” is “to criticize” or “to nitpick.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “criticailler” is kree-tee-kay-yay.

The word “criticailler” is derived from the French noun “critique,” meaning “criticism.” It belongs to the first group of French verbs (-er verbs).

In everyday French, the verb “criticailler” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It often carries a negative connotation, implying excessive or unnecessary criticism.

Examples of “criticailler” in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, mon frère criticaillait toujours mes dessins.
    (When I was a child, my brother was always nitpicking my drawings.)

  2. Pendant les réunions, il criticaillait constamment les idées des autres.
    (During the meetings, he would constantly criticize other people’s ideas.)

  3. Ma mère criticaillait sans cesse mes choix vestimentaires.
    (My mother used to constantly criticize my clothing choices.)

These examples showcase how “criticailler” in the imparfait tense emphasizes the repetitive or ongoing nature of criticism in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of criticailler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je criticaillais Je criticaillais tout le temps. I used to criticize all the time.
tu criticaillais Tu criticaillais ma tenue. You used to criticize my outfit.
il criticaillait Il criticaillait sans cesse. He used to criticize constantly.
elle criticaillait Elle criticaillait mes choix. She used to criticize my choices.
on criticaillait On criticaillait les autres. We used to criticize others.
nous criticaillions Nous criticaillions nos amis. We used to criticize our friends.
vous criticailliez Vous criticailliez les décisions. You used to criticize the decisions.
ils criticaillaient Ils criticaillaient les politiques. They used to criticize the policies.
elles criticaillaient Elles criticaillaient les artistes. They used to criticize the artists.

Other Conjugations for Criticailler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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