Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cuirasser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cuirasser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of cuirasser. 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 “cuirasser” is “to armor” or “to plate.” The infinitive form of “cuirasser” is pronounced as “kwee-rah-say.”

The word “cuirasser” comes from the noun “cuirasse,” meaning “breastplate” or “armor.” It originated from the Old Italian “corazza” and the Latin word “coriacea” (leather armor). In everyday French, “cuirasser” is used in the imparfait tense to describe past habitual actions or ongoing actions that took place in the past.

Here are three examples of “cuirasser” in the imparfait tense and their English translations:

  1. Je me cuirassais tous les matins avant de sortir.
    (I used to armor myself every morning before going out.)
  2. Pendant la guerre, ils cuirassaient les soldats pour les protéger.
    (During the war, they would armor the soldiers to protect them.)
  3. Nous cuirassions le vaisseau spatial pour le voyage intergalactique.
    (We were armoring the spaceship for the intergalactic journey.)

These examples illustrate actions that were habitually performed, actions that occurred continuously in the past, or actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of cuirasser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je cuirassais Je cuirassais ma voiture. I was armoring my car.
tu cuirassais Tu cuirassais ton corps. You were armoring your body.
il cuirassait Il cuirassait son navire. He was armoring his ship.
elle cuirassait Elle cuirassait sa maison. She was armoring her house.
on cuirassait On cuirassait nos vélos. We were armoring our bikes.
nous cuirassions Nous cuirassions nos tanks. We were armoring our tanks.
vous cuirassiez Vous cuirassiez vos armes. You were armoring your weapons.
ils cuirassaient Ils cuirassaient leurs véhicules. They were armoring their vehicles.
elles cuirassaient Elles cuirassaient leurs corps. They were armoring their bodies.

Other Conjugations for Cuirasser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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