Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb encoffrer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb encoffrer

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The English translation of the French verb “encoffrer” is “to place in a coffin” or “to coffin.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “encoffrer” is /ɑ̃.kɔ.fʀe/.

The verb “encoffrer” originates from the combination of the prefix “en-” and the noun “coffre” (meaning “coffin” or “chest”). It is commonly used in everyday French to describe the action of putting a deceased person in a coffin.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their respective English translations:

  1. Chaque soir, le fossoyeur encoffrait les dépouilles des défunts. (Every evening, the gravedigger would place the bodies of the deceased in coffins.)
  2. Autrefois, les pompes funèbres encoffraient les corps dans des cercueils en bois. (In the past, the funeral home used to coffin bodies in wooden caskets.)
  3. Pendant la cérémonie, les proches encoffraient les souvenirs de leur bien-aimé. (During the ceremony, the loved ones would coffin the memories of their beloved.)

Please note that the verb “encoffrer” is primarily used in the context of funeral arrangements and may not be as commonly used in everyday conversation.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of encoffrer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je encoffrais J’encoffrais les vêtements. I was putting the clothes in the coffin.
tu encoffrais Tu encoffrais les livres. You were putting the books in the coffin.
il encoffrait Il encoffrait les objets. He was putting the objects in the coffin.
elle encoffrait Elle encoffrait les souvenirs. She was putting the memories in the coffin.
on encoffrait On encoffrait les affaires. We were putting the belongings in the coffin.
nous encoffrions Nous encoffrions les documents. We were putting the documents in the coffin.
vous encoffriez Vous encoffriez les cadeaux. You were putting the gifts in the coffin.
ils encoffraient Ils encoffraient les instruments. They were putting the instruments in the coffin.
elles encoffraient Elles encoffraient les photos. They were putting the photos in the coffin.

Other Conjugations for Encoffrer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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