Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb encorner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb encorner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of encorner. 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 “encorner” is “to corner” or “to trap.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “encorner” is [ɑ̃kɔʁne].

The verb “encorner” comes from the Old French word “encorcner,” which is derived from the Latin word “cornū” meaning “horn.” In everyday French, “encorner” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe an ongoing or repeated action in the past.

Here are three examples of “encorner” in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je l’encornais souvent en lui posant des questions difficiles.
    (When I was a child, I would often corner him by asking him difficult questions.)

  2. Les policiers encornaient les voleurs dans l’allée sombre.
    (The police were cornering the thieves in the dark alley.)

  3. Nous les encornions régulièrement lors de nos matchs de football.
    (We used to corner them regularly during our soccer matches.)

Please note that the translations may vary based on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of encorner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je encornais J’encornais l’adversaire. I was goring the opponent.
tu encornais Tu encornais les animaux. You were goring the animals.
il encornait Il encornait avec force. He was goring forcefully.
elle encornait Elle encornait avec précision. She was goring accurately.
on encornait On encornait les taureaux. We were goring the bulls.
nous encornions Nous encornions les bêtes. We were goring the beasts.
vous encorniez Vous encorniez les ennemis. You were goring the enemies.
ils encornaient Ils encornaient avec rage. They were goring with rage.
elles encornaient Elles encornaient sans relâche. They were goring relentlessly.

Other Conjugations for Encorner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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