Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brader

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb brader

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of brader. 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 “brader” is “to sell at a low price” or “to give away.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “brader” is [bʁa.de].

The word “brader” originated from the Old French word “braider,” meaning “to untie” or “to release.” It evolved to have the specific meaning of selling at a low price during the 17th century. In everyday French, “brader” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe past actions that were repeated or ongoing.

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

  1. Chaque été, il bradait ses vieux vêtements sur le marché. (Every summer, he would sell his old clothes at a low price in the market.)
  2. Nous bradions nos livres scolaires à la fin de l’année. (We used to sell our textbooks at a low price at the end of the year.)
  3. Les commerçants bradaient leurs produits pour attirer plus de clients. (The shopkeepers were selling their products at a low price to attract more customers.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of brader

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je bradais Je bradais mes vêtements. I was selling my clothes at a low price.
tu bradais Tu bradais tes livres. You were selling your books at a low price.
il bradait Il bradait sa voiture. He was selling his car at a low price.
elle bradait Elle bradait ses bijoux. She was selling her jewelry at a low price.
on bradait On bradait nos meubles. We were selling our furniture at a low price.
nous bradions Nous bradions nos affaires. We were selling our belongings at a low price.
vous bradiez Vous bradiez vos produits. You were selling your products at a low price.
ils bradaient Ils bradaient leurs marchandises. They were selling their goods at a low price.
elles bradaient Elles bradaient leurs vêtements. They were selling their clothes at a low price.

Other Conjugations for Brader.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 brader imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply