Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Introduction to the verb empirer
The English translation of the French verb “empirer” is “to worsen” or “to get worse.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “empirer” is [ɑ̃.pi.ʁe].
“Empirer” has its origin in the Latin word “imperare,” which means “to command” or “to order.” In everyday French, “empirer” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing actions or situations in the past. It expresses the idea of something gradually worsening over time.
Examples of “empirer” in the imparfait tense:
-
La pollution empirait chaque jour dans la ville.
(The pollution was worsening every day in the city.) -
Sa santé empirait lorsqu’il était sous pression.
(His health was worsening when he was under pressure.) -
Les conditions de travail empiraient avant la grève.
(The working conditions were worsening before the strike.)
These examples show how “empirer” is used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing situations or actions that were getting worse in the past.
Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of empirer
Pronoun | Conjugation | Short Example | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
je | empirais | J’empirais ma santé. | I was worsening my health. |
tu | empirais | Tu empirais la situation. | You were worsening the situation. |
il | empirait | Il empirait ses notes. | He was worsening his grades. |
elle | empirait | Elle empirait son état de santé. | She was worsening her health condition. |
on | empirait | On empirait les choses. | We were worsening things. |
nous | empirions | Nous empirions la situation. | We were worsening the situation. |
vous | empiriez | Vous empiriez la situation. | You were worsening the situation. |
ils | empiraient | Ils empiraient leurs relations. | They were worsening their relationships. |
elles | empiraient | Elles empiraient leurs performances. | They were worsening their performances. |
Other Conjugations for Empirer.
Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer (You’re reading it right now!)
Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empirer
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Empirer – About the French Imparfait Tense
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
For regular -er verbs:
For regular -ir verbs
For regular -re verbs
Common Everyday Usage Patterns
Description of Past Habits
Background Information
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
Points to Note About the Imparfait Tense
Passé Composé vs. Imparfait
Conditional
Si Clauses
Narration
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