Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brancher

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb brancher

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of brancher. 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 brancher is “to plug in” or “to connect.” The infinitive form “brancher” is pronounced as “brahn-shay.”

The word “brancher” comes from the French noun “branche,” meaning “branch.” In its original sense, it referred to the action of connecting electrical devices or plugging them into a power source. However, its usage has evolved to include various other contexts beyond just electricity.

In everyday French, “brancher” is commonly used in the imparfait tense (imperfect tense), which indicates an ongoing or repeated action in the past. It is often used to describe the act of engaging in conversation or establishing a connection with someone.

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

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je branchais toujours la console de jeux vidéo. (When I was young, I would always plug in the video game console.)
  2. Les soirées étudiantes étaient l’endroit idéal pour se brancher avec de nouvelles personnes. (Student parties were the perfect place to connect with new people.)
  3. Pendant les vacances, nous branchions notre caméra pour capturer tous les souvenirs. (During vacations, we would plug in our camera to capture all the memories.)

Please note that the translations provided are general and may vary depending on the context of the sentence.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of brancher

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je branchais Je branchais la télévision. I was plugging in the television.
tu branchais Tu branchais l’ordinateur. You were plugging in the computer.
il branchait Il branchait la lampe. He was plugging in the lamp.
elle branchait Elle branchait le téléphone. She was plugging in the phone.
on branchait On branchait le lecteur DVD. We were plugging in the DVD player.
nous branchions Nous branchions les haut-parleurs. We were plugging in the speakers.
vous branchiez Vous branchiez la console de jeux. You were plugging in the game console.
ils branchaient Ils branchaient les câbles. They were plugging in the cables.
elles branchaient Elles branchaient les appareils. They were plugging in the devices.

Other Conjugations for Brancher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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