Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dansotter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dansotter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dansotter. 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 “dansotter” is “to hop about” or “to dance lightly.” The infinitive form “dansotter” is pronounced as [dɑ̃sɔte].

The word “dansotter” comes from the French word “danser,” meaning “to dance,” combined with the suffix “-otter,” which indicates a repetitive or playful action. It is commonly used in everyday French to describe a light and playful way of dancing or hopping around.

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

  1. Quand j’étais petit(e), je dansottais dans ma chambre tous les soirs.
    (When I was little, I used to hop about in my room every evening.)
  2. Pendant la fête, ils dansottaient joyeusement autour du feu.
    (During the party, they were dancing lightly around the fire with joy.)
  3. Ma sœur et moi, nous dansottions ensemble lorsque nous étions heureuses.
    (My sister and I used to hop about together when we were happy.)

Please note that the imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, often translated as “used to” or “was/were -ing” in English.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dansotter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dansottais Je dansottais toute la nuit. I was dancing all night.
tu dansottais Tu dansottais avec grâce. You were dancing gracefully.
il dansottait Il dansottait joyeusement. He was dancing happily.
elle dansottait Elle dansottait avec élégance. She was dancing elegantly.
on dansottait On dansottait sans se soucier des autres. We were dancing without caring about others.
nous dansottions Nous dansottions ensemble. We were dancing together.
vous dansottiez Vous dansottiez avec enthousiasme. You were dancing enthusiastically.
ils dansottaient Ils dansottaient avec plaisir. They were dancing with pleasure.
elles dansottaient Elles dansottaient gracieusement. They were dancing gracefully.

Other Conjugations for Dansotter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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