Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb boursoufler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb boursoufler

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The English translation of the French verb “boursoufler” is “to puff up” or “to swell.” The infinitive form “boursoufler” is pronounced as “boor-soo-flay.”

The word “boursoufler” comes from the old French word “boursouffle,” which means “swelling.” It originated from the combination of “bourse” (purse) and “souffler” (to blow), implying the action of inflating or swelling up like a purse being filled with air.

In everyday French, the verb “boursoufler” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It can convey the idea of something or someone being swollen, inflated, or distended.

Here are three examples of “boursoufler” used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Quand il était allergique aux piqûres d’insectes, sa peau boursoufflait facilement.
    (When he was allergic to insect bites, his skin would easily puff up.)

  2. Les pieds de la randonneuse boursouflaient après avoir marché des heures dans la chaleur.
    (The hiker’s feet would swell up after walking for hours in the heat.)

  3. À chaque piqûre de moustique, ma peau boursouflait et me démangeait.
    (With each mosquito bite, my skin would swell and itch.)

Please note that the translations provided are approximate and may vary based on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of boursoufler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je boursouflais Je boursouflais après avoir mangé des fruits de mer. I used to bloat after eating seafood.
tu boursouflais Tu boursouflais facilement. You used to bloat easily.
il boursouflait Il boursouflait à cause de l’allergie. He used to bloat because of the allergy.
elle boursouflait Elle boursouflait quand elle mangeait trop. She used to bloat when she ate too much.
on boursouflait On boursouflait après les repas copieux. We used to bloat after heavy meals.
nous boursouflions Nous boursouflions après avoir bu du soda. We used to bloat after drinking soda.
vous boursoufliez Vous boursoufliez facilement en été. You used to bloat easily in the summer.
ils boursouflaient Ils boursouflaient après avoir mangé de la pizza. They used to bloat after eating pizza.
elles boursouflaient Elles boursouflaient quand elles étaient stressées. They used to bloat when they were stressed.

Other Conjugations for Boursoufler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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