Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb darder

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb darder

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of darder. 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 “darder” is “to dart” or “to shoot.” The infinitive form of “darder” is pronounced as [dar-dey].

The word “darder” comes from the Old French word “darder,” which originally meant “to throw a spear.” It is derived from the Latin word “dardus,” meaning “spear.” In everyday French, “darder” is used to describe a sudden and swift movement, often referring to an object or a part of the body that rapidly shoots out or darts.

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

  1. Chaque fois que le serpent bougeait, sa langue se dardait hors de sa bouche.
    (Every time the snake moved, its tongue darted out of its mouth.)

  2. Les rayons du soleil se dardaient à travers les nuages.
    (The sun’s rays darted through the clouds.)

  3. Les regards des deux ennemis se dardaient l’un l’autre avant la bataille.
    (The gazes of the two enemies darted at each other before the battle.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, often setting the scene or providing background information.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of darder

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dardais Je dardais mes yeux vers lui. I was shooting glances at him.
tu dardais Tu dardais ta langue venimeuse. You were darting your venomous tongue.
il dardait Il dardait son regard vers elle. He was glaring at her.
elle dardait Elle dardait ses épines en signe de défense. She was shooting her thorns as a defense.
on dardait On dardait nos regards vers le ciel. We were shooting our gazes towards the sky.
nous dardions Nous dardions nos flèches vers la cible. We were shooting our arrows at the target.
vous dardiez Vous dardiez vos regards méfiants. You were shooting your distrustful gazes.
ils dardaient Ils dardaient leurs épées vers l’ennemi. They were thrusting their swords towards the enemy.
elles dardaient Elles dardaient leurs crochets venimeux. They were shooting their venomous hooks.

Other Conjugations for Darder.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the darder imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply