Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bretter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bretter

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The English translation of the French verb “bretter” is “to board” or “to plank.” The infinitive form “bretter” is pronounced as [bʁɛ.te].

The verb “bretter” in French comes from the noun “planche” (board). In everyday French, “bretter” is most often used in the imparfait tense, which indicates an ongoing or repeated action in the past. It is commonly used when describing habits, past routines, or setting the scene in the past.

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

  1. Chaque matin, je brettais le pont pour traverser la rivière.
    (Every morning, I would board the bridge to cross the river.)

  2. Pendant les vacances, nous brettions le bateau pour pêcher en mer.
    (During the holidays, we would board the boat to go fishing at sea.)

  3. Quand j’étais jeune, mes amis et moi brettions les vieux planchers de bois dans les maisons abandonnées.
    (When I was young, my friends and I would board the old wooden floors in abandoned houses.)

These examples showcase the use of “bretter” in the imparfait tense, emphasizing repeated actions or ongoing habits in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of bretter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je brettais Je brettais la planche. I was boarding the plank.
tu brettais Tu brettais rapidement. You were boarding quickly.
il brettait Il brettait avec précision. He was boarding with precision.
elle brettait Elle brettait avec aisance. She was boarding with ease.
on brettait On brettait sans effort. We were boarding effortlessly.
nous brettions Nous brettions ensemble. We were boarding together.
vous brettiez Vous brettiez avec style. You were boarding with style.
ils brettaient Ils brettaient en compétition. They were boarding in competition.
elles brettaient Elles brettaient en harmonie. They were boarding in harmony.

Other Conjugations for Bretter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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