Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb billancher

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb billancher

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of billancher. 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 “billancher” is “to wobble” or “to sway.” The infinitive form “billancher” is pronounced as “bee-lahn-shay.”

The origin of the word “billancher” can be traced back to the Middle French word “billancier,” which means “to waver” or “to fluctuate.” In everyday French, “billancher” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of the usage of “billancher” in the imparfait tense:

  1. Chaque fois qu’il marchait sur le pont, celui-ci billanchait. (Every time he walked on the bridge, it would wobble.)
  2. La vieille chaise en bois billanchait quand on s’asseyait dessus. (The old wooden chair would sway when you sat on it.)
  3. Les rideaux billanchaient doucement à cause de la brise. (The curtains were swaying gently due to the breeze.)

English Translations:

  1. Every time he walked on the bridge, it would wobble.
  2. The old wooden chair would sway when you sat on it.
  3. The curtains were swaying gently due to the breeze.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of billancher

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je billanchais Je billanchais tous les jours. I was billanching every day.
tu billanchais Tu billanchais avec moi. You were billanching with me.
il billanchait Il billanchait rapidement. He was billanching quickly.
elle billanchait Elle billanchait avec facilité. She was billanching with ease.
on billanchait On billanchait en équipe. We were billanching as a team.
nous billanchions Nous billanchions ensemble. We were billanching together.
vous billanchiez Vous billanchiez avec précision. You were billanching with precision.
ils billanchaient Ils billanchaient sans relâche. They were billanching tirelessly.
elles billanchaient Elles billanchaient avec grâce. They were billanching gracefully.

Other Conjugations for Billancher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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