Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb enchemiser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb enchemiser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of enchemiser. 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 “enchemiser” is “to put on a shirt” or “to don a shirt.” The infinitive form “enchemiser” is pronounced as [ahn-shuh-mee-zey].

The verb “enchemiser” originates from the combination of the prefix “en-” (meaning “in” or “on”) and the noun “chemise” (meaning “shirt”). It is used in everyday French to describe the act of putting on or wearing a shirt. This verb is commonly used in the imparfait tense, which is used to express ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

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

  1. Chaque matin, je m’enchemisais avant de prendre mon petit-déjeuner.
    (Every morning, I would put on a shirt before having my breakfast.)

  2. Ils s’enchemisaient avec soin avant de se rendre au travail.
    (They would carefully put on their shirts before going to work.)

  3. Pendant l’été, elle s’enchemisait avec des chemises légères et colorées.
    (During the summer, she would don shirts that were light and colorful.)

Note: The translations provided are approximate, as the imparfait tense does not have a direct equivalent in English.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of enchemiser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je enchemisais J’enchemisais tous les jours. I used to wear a shirt every day.
tu enchemisais Tu enchemisais souvent. You used to wear a shirt often.
il enchemisait Il enchemisait pour les occasions spéciales. He used to wear a shirt for special occasions.
elle enchemisait Elle enchemisait avec style. She used to wear a shirt with style.
on enchemisait On enchemisait pour se distinguer. We used to wear a shirt to stand out.
nous enchemisions Nous enchemisions en été. We used to wear a shirt in the summer.
vous enchemisiez Vous enchemisiez avec élégance. You used to wear a shirt with elegance.
ils enchemisaient Ils enchemisaient en toutes saisons. They used to wear a shirt in all seasons.
elles enchemisaient Elles enchemisaient pour être à la mode. They used to wear a shirt to be fashionable.

Other Conjugations for Enchemiser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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