Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débarboter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débarboter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of débarboter. 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 “débarboter” is “to unhook” or “to detach”. The infinitive form “débarboter” is pronounced as “day-bar-boh-tey”.

The word “débarboter” is derived from the combination of the prefix “dé-” meaning “un-” or “de-” and the verb “barboter” which means “to paddle”. “Débarboter” is often used in everyday French in the imparfait tense to describe the action of unhooking or detaching something in the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense:

  1. Chaque fois que je lavais les vêtements, je débarbotais les boutons.
    (Every time I was washing the clothes, I was unhooking the buttons.)

  2. Pendant les rénovations, nous débarbotions les vieilles tapisseries des murs.
    (During the renovations, we were detaching the old tapestries from the walls.)

  3. Quand j’étais enfant, je débarbotais les aimants du réfrigérateur pour jouer avec.
    (When I was a child, I used to unhook the magnets from the fridge to play with.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débarboter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je débarbotais Je débarbotais dans la piscine. I used to paddle in the pool.
tu débarbotais Tu débarbotais maladroitement. You used to paddle clumsily.
il débarbotait Il débarbotait avec plaisir. He used to paddle with pleasure.
elle débarbotait Elle débarbotait avec ses amis. She used to paddle with her friends.
on débarbotait On débarbotait souvent après l’école. We used to paddle often after school.
nous débarbotions Nous débarbotions dans la mer. We used to paddle in the sea.
vous débarbotiez Vous débarbotiez en rivière. You used to paddle in the river.
ils débarbotaient Ils débarbotaient avec joie. They used to paddle with joy.
elles débarbotaient Elles débarbotaient rapidement. They used to paddle quickly.

Other Conjugations for Débarboter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 débarboter imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply