Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb embarrer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb embarrer

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The English translation of the French verb embarrer is “to block” or “to bar.” The infinitive form “embarrer” is pronounced as ahm-bah-reh.

The word “embarrer” originates from the Old French word “embarer,” which means “to block a passage” or “to obstruct.” In everyday French, it is often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing actions or states in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations, are:

  1. Je l’embarrerais tous les jours. (I used to block him every day.)
  2. Tu embarrais la porte d’entrée régulièrement. (You would block the front door regularly.)
  3. Ils embarraient la route avec des barricades. (They were blocking the road with barricades.)

Note: These translations are not literal but convey the general sense of the sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of embarrer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je embarrais J’embarrais la porte. I was barring the door.
tu embarrais Tu embarrais l’entrée. You were blocking the entrance.
il embarrait Il embarrait le passage. He was obstructing the passage.
elle embarrait Elle embarrait le chemin. She was blocking the path.
on embarrait On embarrait la rue. We were blocking the street.
nous embarrions Nous embarrions la porte d’entrée. We were blocking the front door.
vous embarriez Vous embarriez le passage. You were blocking the way.
ils embarraient Ils embarraient l’allée. They were blocking the alley.
elles embarraient Elles embarraient la sortie. They were blocking the exit.

Other Conjugations for Embarrer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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