Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb endosser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb endosser

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The English translation of the French verb “endosser” is “to endorse” or “to assume.” The infinitive form “endosser” is pronounced as “ahn-doh-say”.

The word “endosser” originates from the Old French verb “endosser,” which evolved from the Latin word “indorsāre,” meaning “to put on the back.” In everyday French, “endosser” is most often used to convey the idea of taking on or assuming responsibility for something.

Examples of the usage of “endosser” in the imparfait tense in everyday French, along with their English translations, are as follows:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, j’endossais toujours les responsabilités familiales.
    (When I was young, I would always assume family responsibilities.)

  2. Il endossait la responsabilité de la gestion de l’entreprise.
    (He was assuming the responsibility for managing the company.)

  3. Nous endossions les erreurs commises par nos prédécesseurs.
    (We were taking on the mistakes made by our predecessors.)

It is important to note that the imparfait tense in French is used to describe ongoing or continuous actions in the past, and it often refers to habitual actions or states of being.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of endosser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je endossais J’endossais un rôle. I was assuming a role.
tu endossais Tu endossais la responsabilité. You were taking on the responsibility.
il endossait Il endossait un costume. He was putting on a costume.
elle endossait Elle endossait une nouvelle identité. She was taking on a new identity.
on endossait On endossait les erreurs. We were taking on the mistakes.
nous endossions Nous endossions nos choix. We were standing by our choices.
vous endossiez Vous endossiez un contrat. You were endorsing a contract.
ils endossaient Ils endossaient leurs accomplissements. They were taking credit for their achievements.
elles endossaient Elles endossaient les blâmes. They were taking the blame.

Other Conjugations for Endosser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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