Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb balancer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb balancer

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The English translation of the French verb “balancer” is “to swing” or “to balance.” The infinitive form of “balancer” is pronounced as [bah-lahn-seh].

The word “balancer” has its origin in the Latin word “bilanx,” meaning “having two scales.” In everyday French, “balancer” is most often used in the imparfait tense, which is used to describe ongoing or repeated past actions.

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

  1. Je balançais sur la balançoire tous les jours. (I used to swing on the swing every day.)
  2. Tu balançais doucement la corde pour apaiser le bébé. (You used to gently swing the rope to soothe the baby.)
  3. Ils balançaient leurs bras en dansant. (They used to swing their arms while dancing.)

Note: The translations provided are not literal translations, but rather convey the meaning in English.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of balancer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je balançais Je balançais sur la balançoire. I was swinging on the swing.
tu balançais Tu balançais tes cheveux. You were swinging your hair.
il balançait Il balançait le bébé dans ses bras. He was rocking the baby in his arms.
elle balançait Elle balançait au rythme de la musique. She was swaying to the rhythm of the music.
on balançait On balançait nos jambes du haut du mur. We were swinging our legs from the top of the wall.
nous balancions Nous balancions les bras en marchant. We were swinging our arms while walking.
vous balanciez Vous balanciez les clés dans l’air. You were tossing the keys in the air.
ils balançaient Ils balançaient d’un pied à l’autre. They were swaying from one foot to the other.
elles balançaient Elles balançaient leurs sacs à dos sur leurs épaules. They were swinging their backpacks over their shoulders.

Other Conjugations for Balancer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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