Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bigarrer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bigarrer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of bigarrer. 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 “bigarrer” is “to variegate” or “to mix colors.” The infinitive form “bigarrer” is pronounced as “bee-ga-ray.”

The verb “bigarrer” is derived from the Old French word “bigarier” which meant “to paint with different colors.” It originates from the Late Latin word “bicarricare,” which can be broken down into “bi-” meaning “two” and “carricare” meaning “to load.” In everyday French, “bigarrer” is often used to describe the action of coloring or painting something with a combination of different colors. It can also be used figuratively to express the idea of adding variety or diversity to something.

Examples of “bigarrer” in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je bigarrais mes dessins avec toutes les couleurs de la boîte.
    (When I was a child, I used to variegate my drawings with all the colors from the box.)

  2. Ils bigarraient la façade de leur maison en utilisant des tons vifs et contrastés.
    (They were variegating the front of their house using bright and contrasting shades.)

  3. Chaque année, nous bigarrions nos œufs de Pâques pour rendre la chasse encore plus amusante.
    (Every year, we used to variegate our Easter eggs to make the hunt even more fun.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of bigarrer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je bigarrais Je bigarrais les tissus. I was variegating the fabrics.
tu bigarrais Tu bigarrais les murs. You were variegating the walls.
il bigarrait Il bigarrait ses dessins. He was variegating his drawings.
elle bigarrait Elle bigarrait sa robe. She was variegating her dress.
on bigarrait On bigarrait les fleurs. We were variegating the flowers.
nous bigarrions Nous bigarrions les tableaux. We were variegating the paintings.
vous bigarriez Vous bigarriez les meubles. You were variegating the furniture.
ils bigarraient Ils bigarraient les sculptures. They were variegating the sculptures.
elles bigarraient Elles bigarraient les céramiques. They were variegating the ceramics.

Other Conjugations for Bigarrer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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