Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dandiner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dandiner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dandiner. 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 “dandiner” is “to sway” or “to wiggle.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “dandiner” is da(n)-dee-NAY.

The verb “dandiner” originates from the French word “danse,” meaning “dance.” It is most often used in everyday French to describe a rhythmic movement, usually associated with a swaying or wiggling motion. It can refer to the movement of a person’s body, particularly their hips or bottom, or even the movement of an object.

Here are three simple examples of “dandiner” in the imparfait tense and their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je dandinais toujours en écoutant de la musique.
    (When I was a child, I would always sway while listening to music.)

  2. Les fleurs dans le vent dandinaient doucement.
    (The flowers in the wind were gently swaying.)

  3. Pendant le trajet en train, elle dandinait sur son siège en lisant un livre.
    (During the train ride, she was wiggling in her seat while reading a book.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dandiner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dandinai Je dandinai en marchant. I was waddling while walking.
tu dandinais Tu dandinais en chantant. You were waddling while singing.
il dandinait Il dandinait sur la scène. He was waddling on stage.
elle dandinait Elle dandinait avec grâce. She was waddling gracefully.
on dandinait On dandinait en rigolant. We were waddling while laughing.
nous dandinions Nous dandinions joyeusement. We were waddling happily.
vous dandiniez Vous dandiniez en dansant. You were waddling while dancing.
ils dandinaient Ils dandinaient en jouant. They were waddling while playing.
elles dandinaient Elles dandinaient en chantant. They were waddling while singing.

Other Conjugations for Dandiner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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