Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb employer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb employer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of employer. 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 “employer” is “to use” or “to employ.” The infinitive form, “employer,” is pronounced as [ɑ̃.plwa.je].

The word “employer” has Latin origins and comes from the Latin word “implicare,” meaning “to involve” or “to entangle.” In everyday French, the verb “employer” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of “employer” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. J’employais mon temps libre à lire des livres. (I used to spend my free time reading books.)
  2. Elle employait toujours le même parfum. (She would always use the same perfume.)
  3. Nous employions cette méthode depuis des années. (We had been using this method for years.)

In these examples, the imparfait tense is used to express past habits, ongoing actions, or descriptions.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of employer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je employais J’employais mon frère. I was employing my brother.
tu employais Tu employais une secrétaire. You were employing a secretary.
il employait Il employait de nouveaux travailleurs. He was employing new workers.
elle employait Elle employait des étudiants. She was employing students.
on employait On employait des techniques modernes. We were employing modern techniques.
nous employions Nous employions beaucoup de personnes. We were employing a lot of people.
vous employiez Vous employiez des spécialistes. You were employing specialists.
ils employaient Ils employaient des robots. They were employing robots.
elles employaient Elles employaient des apprentis. They were employing apprentices.

Other Conjugations for Employer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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