Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débarbouiller

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débarbouiller

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The English translation of the French verb débarbouiller is “to clean (someone’s face).” The infinitive form is pronounced as [de-ba-boo-yey].

Débarbouiller is derived from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (which can indicate undoing or removal) and the word “barbouiller” (meaning to smear or smudge). It is most often used in everyday French to refer to the action of wiping or cleaning someone’s face, particularly in the context of children or after eating.

Here are three simple examples of débarbouiller used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, ma mère me débarbouillait après chaque repas.
    (When I was a child, my mother would clean my face after every meal.)

  2. Pendant le déjeuner d’anniversaire, les enfants se débarbouillaient avec enthousiasme.
    (During the birthday lunch, the children were enthusiastically cleaning their faces.)

  3. Tous les soirs, avant de se coucher, mes parents nous débarbouillaient pour enlever la saleté.
    (Every evening, before going to bed, my parents would clean our faces to remove the dirt.)

Note: The imparfait tense in French is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débarbouiller

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je débarbouillais Je me débarbouillais tous les matins. I used to wash up every morning.
tu débarbouillais Tu te débarbouillais avant de sortir. You used to wash up before going out.
il débarbouillait Il débarbouillait son visage. He used to wash his face.
elle débarbouillait Elle débarbouillait ses mains. She used to wash her hands.
on débarbouillait On débarbouillait les enfants après manger. We used to wash up the kids after eating.
nous débarbouillions Nous nous débarbouillions ensemble. We used to wash up together.
vous débarbouilliez Vous vous débarbouilliez avec de l’eau froide. You used to wash up with cold water.
ils débarbouillaient Ils débarbouillaient le bébé. They used to wash up the baby.
elles débarbouillaient Elles débarbouillaient leur visage. They used to wash their faces.

Other Conjugations for Débarbouiller.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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