Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débarder

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débarder

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of débarder. 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 débarder is “to haul” or “to transport.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “débarder” is [day-bar-dey].

Débarder originated from the word “barder” which means “to equip or arm.” The prefix “dé-” added to “barder” gives the verb débarder its specific meaning of “to haul.”

In everyday French, débarder in the imparfait tense is often used to describe an ongoing or habitual action in the past. It is used to talk about something that was being hauled or transported during a specific period in the past.

Here are three examples of débarder in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, mon grand-père débardait du bois tous les hivers.
    (When I was young, my grandfather would haul wood every winter.)

  2. Ils débardaient les marchandises du port vers les entrepôts.
    (They were transporting goods from the port to the warehouses.)

  3. Les chevaux débardaient les troncs d’arbre dans la forêt.
    (The horses were hauling tree trunks in the forest.)

These examples showcase the usage of débarder in the imparfait tense, depicting past actions that were ongoing, habitual, or repeated.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débarder

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je débardais Je débardais du bois. I was clearing wood.
tu débardais Tu débardais les arbres. You were clearing the trees.
il débardait Il débardait les troncs. He was clearing the logs.
elle débardait Elle débardait la forêt. She was clearing the forest.
on débardait On débardait les branches. We were clearing the branches.
nous débardions Nous débardions les grumes. We were clearing the timber.
vous débardiiez Vous débardiez les souches. You were clearing the stumps.
ils débardaient Ils débardaient les buches. They were clearing the firewood.
elles débardaient Elles débardaient les bûches. They were clearing the logs.

Other Conjugations for Débarder.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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