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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb calfater

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The English translation of the French verb calfater is “to caulk.” It is pronounced as “kal-fa-tey.”

The word “calfater” is derived from the Latin word “calcāre,” which means “to tread or trample.” It entered the French language in the 16th century and originally referred to the act of pressing or treading on something to make it more compact. Over time, it took on the meaning of sealing or filling in gaps, particularly in a ship’s hull.

In everyday French, calfater is most often used in the L’impératif Présent tense, which is the command form. Here are three examples of its usage in this tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Calfatez les fissures avec du mastic. (Caulk the cracks with putty.)
  2. N’oubliez pas de calfater le bateau avant de partir en mer. (Don’t forget to caulk the boat before heading out to sea.)
  3. Calfate les joints pour éviter les fuites d’eau. (Caulk the joints to prevent water leaks.)

Table of the L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of calfater

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je calfate Je calfate les bateaux. I caulk the boats.
tu calfate Tu calfates tes fenêtres. You caulk your windows.
il calfat Il calfat son bateau. He caulks his boat.
elle calfat Elle calfat les fissures. She caulks the cracks.
on calfat On calfate les joints. We caulk the joints.
nous calfatons Calfatons les fuites. Let’s caulk the leaks.
vous calfeutrez Calfeutrez les portes. Caulk the doors.
ils calfatent Ils calfatent la toiture. They are caulking the roof.
elles calfatent Elles calfatent les planches. They are caulking the planks.

Other Conjugations for Calfater.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb calfater
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb calfater  (this article)

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

   

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Calfater – About the French L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense

L’impératif Présent is a mood in the French language that is used to give commands, make requests, offer advice, or express a desire in the present tense. It’s a relatively simple tense and is used to address someone directly. Let’s dive into its usage, conjugation, and interactions with other tenses:
NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see my article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Usage

Giving commands

You use l’impératif présent to give direct commands or orders. It is often used in informal and formal situations to tell someone to do or not do something. For example:

   – Mange ta soupe. (Eat your soup.)
   – Ferme la porte. (Close the door.)

Making requests

You can also use the imperative to make polite requests. In this case, it is a gentler way to ask someone to do something. For example:
  
   – Parle plus lentement, s’il te plaît. (Speak more slowly, please.)

Offering advice

It’s common to use l’impératif to give advice or suggestions:
   – Étudie bien pour ton examen. (Study well for your exam.)

Expressing desires

You can express your desires or wishes using the imperative:
   – Amuse-toi bien à la fête. (Have a good time at the party.)

Conjugation Formation

To form l’impératif présent, you need to use the base form of the verb without the subject pronoun (tu, nous, vous, etc.). The conjugation varies depending on the type of verb:
Regular -ER verbs (e.g., parler)
  – Tu: Parle (speak)
  – Nous: Parlons (let’s speak)
  – Vous: Parlez (speak)
Regular -IR verbs (e.g., finir)
  – Tu: Finis (finish)
  – Nous: Finissons (let’s finish)
  – Vous: Finissez (finish)
Regular -RE verbs (e.g., vendre)
  – Tu: Vends (sell)
  – Nous: Vendons (let’s sell)
  – Vous: Vendez (sell)
Irregular verbs (e.g., être, avoir, aller)
  – Tu: Sois (be), aie (have), va (go)
  – Nous: Soyons (let’s be), ayons (let’s have), allons (let’s go)
  – Vous: Soyez (be), ayez (have), allez (go)

Interactions with other tenses

L’impératif is used exclusively in the present tense and does not interact with other tenses in the same way as indicative or subjunctive moods. 
It’s used for direct commands and requests in the here and now. However, in more formal or written contexts, you might find the imperative used with expressions like “quand tu auras fini” (when you have finished) or “dès que tu seras prêt” (as soon as you are ready), which introduce a future action while maintaining the imperative mood for the main verb.
For example:
– Quand tu auras fini ton travail, viens me voir. (When you have finished your work, come see me.)
In this case, the imperative is used in conjunction with future actions, but it’s still employed for the main verb to convey a sense of directness or immediacy.

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