Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb barbifier

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb barbifier

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of barbifier. 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 “barbifier” is “to provoke” or “to stir up.” The infinitive form of “barbifier” is pronounced as “bar-bee-fee-ay”.

The word “barbifier” originated from the French noun “barbe,” which means “beard.” The verb “barbifier” is formed by adding the suffix “-ifier” to “barbe,” giving it the meaning of “to provoke” or “to stir up.” In everyday French, “barbifier” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Example 1: Quand j’étais jeune, je barbifiais mon frère en lui racontant des histoires effrayantes.
Translation: When I was young, I used to provoke my brother by telling him scary stories.

Example 2: Pendant les réunions, il barbifiait tout le monde en posant constamment des questions stupides.
Translation: During the meetings, he would stir everyone up by constantly asking stupid questions.

Example 3: Ma sœur barbifiait nos parents en écoutant de la musique très forte tous les soirs.
Translation: My sister used to provoke our parents by listening to very loud music every night.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of barbifier

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je barbefiais Je barbefiais mes cheveux. I was barbifying my hair.
tu barbefiais Tu barbefiais ton visage. You were barbifying your face.
il barbefiait Il barbefiait sa barbe. He was barbifying his beard.
elle barbefiait Elle barbefiait ses sourcils. She was barbifying her eyebrows.
on barbefiait On barbefiait nos moustaches. We were barbifying our mustaches.
nous barbefiions Nous barbefiions nos poils. We were barbifying our hair.
vous barbefiiez Vous barbefiiez vos barbes. You were barbifying your beards.
ils barbefiaient Ils barbefiaient leurs cheveux. They were barbifying their hair.
elles barbefiaient Elles barbefiaient leurs visages. They were barbifying their faces.

Other Conjugations for Barbifier.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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