Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb croasser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb croasser

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The English translation of the French verb “croasser” is “to croak” or “to caw” in the context of a frog or raven making a sound. The infinitive form “croasser” is pronounced as kro-a-say.

The verb “croasser” comes from the onomatopoeic sound of a crow or a frog croaking. It originated from the Old French word “crochier,” meaning “to caw,” which has its roots in the Latin word “crocitare” (to croak). In everyday French, “croasser” is most often used in the imperfect tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of “croasser” in the imperfect tense along with their English translations:

  1. Tous les soirs, les grenouilles croassaient près de l’étang.
    (Every evening, the frogs were croaking near the pond.)

  2. Les corbeaux croassaient au sommet des arbres.
    (The crows were cawing at the top of the trees.)

  3. Quand il pleuvait, les grenouilles croassaient sans cesse.
    (When it rained, the frogs would croak incessantly.)

Please note that the translations provided are just one possible interpretation and can vary depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of croasser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je croassais Je croassais fort. I was croaking loudly.
tu croassais Tu croassais bizarrement. You were croaking strangely.
il croassait Il croassait toute la nuit. He was croaking all night.
elle croassait Elle croassait dans le marais. She was croaking in the marsh.
on croassait On croassait en groupe. We were croaking in a group.
nous croassions Nous croassions joyeusement. We were croaking happily.
vous croassiez Vous croassiez de manière étrange. You were croaking in a strange way.
ils croassaient Ils croassaient tous les soirs. They were croaking every evening.
elles croassaient Elles croassaient ensemble. They were croaking together.

Other Conjugations for Croasser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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