Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb basculer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb basculer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of basculer. 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 “basculer” is “to tip” or “to tilt.” The infinitive form “basculer” is pronounced as [ba-skoo-le].

“Basculer” comes from the Latin word “basculare,” which means “to balance on a seesaw.” It is mostly used in everyday French to describe a movement or action where something shifts or tilts abruptly.

In the imparfait tense, “basculer” is often used to describe ongoing or continuous actions in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je basculais souvent sur la balançoire.
    (When I was a child, I used to tip over on the swing.)
  2. Ils basculaient doucement d’un côté à l’autre dans le bateau.
    (They were tilting gently from one side to the other in the boat.)
  3. Nous basculions légèrement en arrière à chaque secousse de l’ascenseur.
    (We were tilting slightly backward with every jolt of the elevator.)

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

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of basculer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je basculais Je basculais d’un pied sur l’autre. I was swaying from one foot to the other.
tu basculais Tu basculais la chaise en arrière. You were tipping the chair back.
il basculait Il basculait la balance. He was tipping the scale.
elle basculait Elle basculait doucement dans le fauteuil. She was reclining softly in the armchair.
on basculait On basculait de joie. We were tipping with joy.
nous basculions Nous basculions la caisse. We were tilting the box.
vous basculiez Vous basculiez le projecteur. You were tilting the projector.
ils basculaient Ils basculaient en avant. They were leaning forward.
elles basculaient Elles basculaient sur le côté. They were tipping to the side.

Other Conjugations for Basculer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the basculer imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply