Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb embuer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb embuer

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The English translation of the French verb “embuer” is “to steam up” or “to mist up”. The infinitive form “embuer” is pronounced as ahn-byoo-eh.

The word “embuer” comes from the Old French word “em(b)uer” which means “to become misty” or “to fog up”. It is derived from the Latin word “imbuere” which means “to soak” or “to wet thoroughly”.

In everyday French, the verb “embuer” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It is commonly used to talk about the misting or fogging up of objects or surfaces.

Here are three examples of “embuer” in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Quand il faisait froid, les vitres de la voiture s’embuaient facilement. (When it was cold, the car windows would easily mist up.)
  2. La chaleur du café faisait embuer les lunettes de Pierre. (The heat from the coffee would steam up Pierre’s glasses.)
  3. Pendant la douche, le miroir de la salle de bains s’embuait toujours. (During the shower, the bathroom mirror would always fog up.)

Please note that these translations provide the general meaning, but the context may vary in specific situations.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of embuer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je embuais J’embuais les vitres. I was fogging up the windows.
tu embuais Tu embuais le miroir. You were fogging up the mirror.
il embuait Il embuait les verres. He was fogging up the glasses.
elle embuait Elle embuait la vue. She was fogging up the view.
on embuait On embuait les carreaux. We were fogging up the windows.
nous embuions Nous embuions les lunettes. We were fogging up the glasses.
vous embuiez Vous embuiez les surfaces. You were fogging up the surfaces.
ils embuaient Ils embuaient les parois. They were fogging up the walls.
elles embuaient Elles embuaient les miroirs. They were fogging up the mirrors.

Other Conjugations for Embuer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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