Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb embouer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb embouer

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The English translation of the French verb “embouer” is “to obstruct” or “to block.” The infinitive form of “embouer” is pronounced as “ahm-boo-ey.”

“Embouer” is derived from the Old French word “emboüer,” which comes from the prefix “en-” (meaning “in” or “into”) and the word “boue” (meaning “mud”). In everyday French, “embouer” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe a continuous action or state in the past.

Here are three examples of “embouer” used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Pendant la pluie, la route s’embouait facilement. (During the rain, the road would easily get blocked with mud.)
  2. Autrefois, la rivière s’embouait régulièrement à cause des travaux de construction. (In the past, the river would often get obstructed due to construction works.)
  3. Quand il pleuvait beaucoup, les canalisations s’embouaient et provoquaient des inondations. (When it rained heavily, the pipes would get clogged and cause floods.)

Note: The translations provided are approximate and may vary depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of embouer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je embuais J’embuais la fenêtre. I was fogging up the window.
tu embuais Tu embuais tes lunettes. You were fogging up your glasses.
il embuait Il embuait le miroir. He was fogging up the mirror.
elle embuait Elle embuait la vitre. She was fogging up the glass.
on embuait On embuait le pare-brise. We were fogging up the windshield.
nous embuions Nous embuions les verres. We were fogging up the lenses.
vous embuiez Vous embuiez le spectacle. You were fogging up the view.
ils embuaient Ils embuaient les vitres. They were fogging up the windows.
elles embuaient Elles embuaient les miroirs. They were fogging up the mirrors.

Other Conjugations for Embouer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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