Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb briser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb briser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of briser. 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 “briser” is “to break.” The infinitive form “briser” is pronounced as [bʁi.ze].

The word “briser” comes from the Latin verb “brisare,” which also means “to break.” In everyday French, “briser” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

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

  1. Chaque nuit, il brisait les règles et sortait en cachette. (Every night, he would break the rules and sneak out.)
  2. Elle brisait souvent les verres en les faisant tomber. (She would often break the glasses by dropping them.)
  3. Nous brisions les branches pour faire du bois de chauffage. (We would break the branches to make firewood.)

Note that the translations above are in the imperfect tense to reflect the ongoing or repeated nature of the actions described by “briser” in the imparfait tense.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of briser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je brisais Je brisais le vase. I was breaking the vase.
tu brisais Tu brisais les règles. You were breaking the rules.
il brisait Il brisait ses promesses. He was breaking his promises.
elle brisait Elle brisait le silence. She was breaking the silence.
on brisait On brisait les barrières. We were breaking the barriers.
nous brisions Nous brisions les chaînes. We were breaking the chains.
vous brisiez Vous brisiez les habitudes. You were breaking the habits.
ils brisaient Ils brisaient les fenêtres. They were breaking the windows.
elles brisaient Elles brisaient les stéréotypes. They were breaking the stereotypes.

Other Conjugations for Briser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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