Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb embrocher

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb embrocher

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of embrocher. 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 embrocher is “to skewer” or “to impale.” The infinitive form “embrocher” is pronounced as [ɑ̃.bʁɔ.ʃe].

The word “embrocher” originates from the Old French term “enbrochier,” which means “to spit roast.” It is derived from the Latin word “imbrocare” or “imbroccare,” which has the same meaning. In everyday French, “embrocher” is most often used in cooking contexts, referring to the action of skewering food, especially for grilling or roasting.

Examples of using “embrocher” in the imparfait tense:

  1. Chaque été, mon père m’embrochait les légumes pour le barbecue.
    (Every summer, my father would skewer vegetables for the barbecue.)

  2. Quand j’étais petit, ma grand-mère embrochait toujours les brochettes de viande.
    (When I was little, my grandmother would always skewer the meat kebabs.)

  3. Ils embrochaient les crevettes sur des pics en bois avant de les faire cuire.
    (They used to skewer the shrimp on wooden skewers before cooking them.)

English translations:

  1. Every summer, my father would skewer vegetables for the barbecue.
  2. When I was little, my grandmother would always skewer the meat kebabs.
  3. They used to skewer the shrimp on wooden skewers before cooking them.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of embrocher

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je embrochais J’embrochais la viande. I was skewering the meat.
tu embrochais Tu embrochais les légumes. You were skewering the vegetables.
il embrochait Il embrochait les crevettes. He was skewering the shrimp.
elle embrochait Elle embrochait les brochettes. She was skewering the kebabs.
on embrochait On embrochait les saucisses. We were skewering the sausages.
nous embrochions Nous embrochions les morceaux de poulet. We were skewering the chicken pieces.
vous embrochiez Vous embrochiez les fruits. You were skewering the fruits.
ils embrochaient Ils embrochaient les crevettes. They were skewering the shrimp.
elles embrochaient Elles embrochaient les légumes. They were skewering the vegetables.

Other Conjugations for Embrocher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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