Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brandiller

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb brandiller

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The English translation of the French verb “brandiller” is “to sway” or “to wobble.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “brandiller” is: brahn-dee-yay.

“Brandiller” comes from the Old French word “brandel,” which means a small wooden sword used in fencing practice. Over time, the meaning of the word evolved to denote a swaying or wobbling motion. In everyday French, “brandiller” is often used to describe something that moves lightly from side to side or back and forth.

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

  1. Chaque fois que je marchais sur le pont, les cordes du bateau brandillaient.
    (Every time I walked on the bridge, the boat’s ropes swayed.)

  2. Les fleurs dans le jardin brandillaient au gré du vent.
    (The flowers in the garden were swaying with the wind.)

  3. La vieille étagère branlante brandillait dès que quelqu’un passait à côté.
    (The old wobbly shelf would sway whenever someone passed by.)

Please note that the English translations may not reflect the exact meaning in context, as the choice of words might vary depending on the situation.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of brandiller

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je brandillais Je brandillais ma clé. I was wobbling my key.
tu brandillais Tu brandillais la chaise. You were wobbling the chair.
il brandillait Il brandillait sa tête. He was wobbling his head.
elle brandillait Elle brandillait sa queue. She was wobbling her tail.
on brandillait On brandillait les branches. We were wobbling the branches.
nous brandillions Nous brandillions les drapeaux. We were wobbling the flags.
vous brandilliez Vous brandilliez les bouteilles. You were wobbling the bottles.
ils brandillaient Ils brandillaient leurs bras. They were wobbling their arms.
elles brandillaient Elles brandillaient les fleurs. They were wobbling the flowers.

Other Conjugations for Brandiller.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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