Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb encaquer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb encaquer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of encaquer. 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 “encaquer” is “to fit in” or “to integrate.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “ahn-kah-kay.”

The verb “encaquer” comes from the word “caque,” which means “cask” or “barrel” in French. It originates from the Latin word “caccabus,” which refers to a container used for transporting liquids. In everyday French, “encaquer” is most often used in the imparfait tense to express the idea of fitting in or integrating into a social group or environment.

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

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je n’arrivais pas à m’encaquer dans mon nouvel établissement scolaire.
    (When I was a child, I couldn’t fit in at my new school.)

  2. Ils se sentaient mal à l’aise et n’arrivaient pas à s’encaquer dans le groupe.
    (They felt uncomfortable and couldn’t integrate into the group.)

  3. Pendant la réunion, il parlait beaucoup et essayait de s’encaquer auprès de ses collègues.
    (During the meeting, he talked a lot and tried to fit in with his colleagues.)

Please note that the translations provided are not word-for-word translations, but rather convey the general meaning of the sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of encaquer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je encaquais J’encaquais le stress. I was bottling up the stress.
tu encaquais Tu encaquais tes émotions. You were bottling up your emotions.
il encaquait Il encaquait ses frustrations. He was bottling up his frustrations.
elle encaquait Elle encaquait ses peurs. She was bottling up her fears.
on encaquait On encaquait nos soucis. We were bottling up our worries.
nous encaquions Nous encaquions nos problèmes. We were bottling up our problems.
vous encaquiez Vous encaquiez votre colère. You were bottling up your anger.
ils encaquaient Ils encaquaient leur déception. They were bottling up their disappointment.
elles encaquaient Elles encaquaient leur tristesse. They were bottling up their sadness.

Other Conjugations for Encaquer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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