Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb embusquer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb embusquer

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The English translation of the French verb “embusquer” is “to ambuscade” or “to lie in wait”. The infinitive form of “embusquer” is pronounced as ahn-byoo-skay.

The word “embusquer” comes from the Old French verb “busche,” which means “wood” or “bush.” It was originally used to describe setting up an ambush in a forest or hiding in the undergrowth. In modern everyday French, “embusquer” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to express past habitual actions or ongoing actions in the past.

Here are three examples of how “embusquer” can be used in the imparfait tense:

  1. Chaque soir, il s’embusquait derrière les buissons pour observer les étoiles.
    (Every evening, he would lie in wait behind the bushes to observe the stars.)

  2. Pendant la guerre, les soldats s’embusquaient dans les tranchées pour attaquer l’ennemi.
    (During the war, the soldiers would ambush in the trenches to attack the enemy.)

  3. Quand j’étais enfant, je m’embusquais sous la table pour écouter les conversations des adultes.
    (When I was a child, I used to hide under the table to eavesdrop on adult conversations.)

English translations:

  1. Every evening, he would lie in wait behind the bushes to observe the stars.
  2. During the war, the soldiers would ambush in the trenches to attack the enemy.
  3. When I was a child, I used to hide under the table to eavesdrop on adult conversations.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of embusquer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je embusquais J’embusquais les ennemis. I was ambushing the enemies.
tu embusquais Tu embusquais ton adversaire. You were ambushing your opponent.
il embusquait Il embusquait dans les buissons. He was ambushing in the bushes.
elle embusquait Elle embusquait à côté de moi. She was ambushing next to me.
on embusquait On embusquait les intrus. We were ambushing the intruders.
nous embusquions Nous embusquions dans la forêt. We were ambushing in the forest.
vous embusquiez Vous embusquiez derrière le mur. You were ambushing behind the wall.
ils embusquaient Ils embusquaient les fugitifs. They were ambushing the fugitives.
elles embusquaient Elles embusquaient les voleurs. They were ambushing the thieves.

Other Conjugations for Embusquer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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