Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bruisser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bruisser

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The English translation of the French verb “bruisser” is “to rustle” or “to make a rustling sound.” The infinitive form “bruisser” is pronounced as “brwee-seh.”

The word “bruisser” has its origins in the Old French word “bruis,” which means “to rustle” or “to make a noise.” It is most commonly used in everyday French in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

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

  1. Pendant la nuit, le vent bruisait dans les arbres.
    (During the night, the wind rustled in the trees.)
  2. Les feuilles bruisssaient sous mes pieds pendant ma promenade.
    (The leaves were rustling under my feet during my walk.)
  3. Tous les soirs, le rideau bruisssait lorsque la fenêtre était ouverte.
    (Every evening, the curtain would rustle when the window was open.)

Note: The imparfait tense in French is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, as well as to set the scene or provide background information.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of bruisser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je bruissais Je bruissais dans la forêt. I was rustling in the forest.
tu bruissais Tu bruissais doucement. You were rustling softly.
il bruissait Il bruissait dans le vent. He was rustling in the wind.
elle bruissait Elle bruissait parmi les feuilles. She was rustling among the leaves.
on bruissait On bruissait dans l’obscurité. We were rustling in the darkness.
nous bruissions Nous bruissions de peur. We were rustling with fear.
vous bruissiez Vous bruissiez dans la nuit. You were rustling in the night.
ils bruissaient Ils bruissaient dans les arbres. They were rustling in the trees.
elles bruissaient Elles bruissaient dans le silence. They were rustling in the silence.

Other Conjugations for Bruisser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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