Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empaumer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb empaumer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of empaumer. 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 “empaumer” is “to take in one’s hand” or “to grasp.” The infinitive form “empaumer” is pronounced as “ahm-poh-mey.”

The word “empaumer” is derived from the French word “paume,” meaning “palm.” It is often used in everyday French to describe the action of physically holding or grasping something in one’s hand.

In the imparfait tense, “empaumer” is used to describe a repeated or ongoing action in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque matin, j’empaumais une tasse de café chaude. (Every morning, I would take/grasp a cup of hot coffee.)
  2. Pendant l’enfance, elle empaumait son doudou pour s’endormir. (During her childhood, she would grasp her stuffed animal to fall asleep.)
  3. Nous empaumions les livres dans nos mains pour les sentir. (We would hold/grasp the books in our hands to feel them.)

Note: The English translations provided are just one possible interpretation and may vary based on context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of empaumer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je embaumais J’embaumais la pièce avec des fleurs. I was perfuming the room with flowers.
tu embaumais Tu embaumais l’air avec ton parfum. You were perfuming the air with your perfume.
il embaumait Il embaumait la maison avec de l’encens. He was perfuming the house with incense.
elle embaumait Elle embaumait la pièce avec de la lavande. She was perfuming the room with lavender.
on embaumait On embaumait l’atmosphère avec des arômes. We were perfuming the atmosphere with aromas.
nous embaumions Nous embaumions la chambre avec de l’huile essentielle. We were perfuming the bedroom with essential oil.
vous embaumiez Vous embaumiez vos vêtements avec du parfum. You were perfuming your clothes with perfume.
ils embaumaient Ils embaumaient la cuisine avec de la cannelle. They were perfuming the kitchen with cinnamon.
elles embaumaient Elles embaumaient la salle de bain avec des bougies parfumées. They were perfuming the bathroom with scented candles.

Other Conjugations for Empaumer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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