Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déblayer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déblayer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of déblayer. 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 “déblayer” is “to clear” or “to clear away.” The infinitive form “déblayer” is pronounced as “day-blay-ay.”

The verb “déblayer” has its origins in the Old French word “bleier,” meaning “to clear.” It is formed by combining the prefix “dé-” (meaning “to undo” or “to remove”) with the word “bloc” (meaning “block” or “obstacle”). This verb is commonly used in everyday French, especially in the imparfait tense, which denotes ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Examples of déblayer in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Chaque matin, nous déblayions la neige devant notre maison. (Every morning, we used to clear away the snow in front of our house.)
  2. Pendant mon séjour à la campagne, je déblayais les branches tombées dans le jardin. (During my stay in the countryside, I would clear away the fallen branches in the garden.)
  3. Les ouvriers déblayaient les gravats après l’effondrement du bâtiment. (The workers were clearing away the rubble after the building collapse.)

In these examples, you can see the imparfait tense used to describe repeated or ongoing actions in the past related to clearing or removing obstacles or debris.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of déblayer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je déblayais Je déblayais la neige. I was clearing the snow.
tu déblayais Tu déblayais la route. You were clearing the road.
il déblayait Il déblayait les débris. He was clearing the debris.
elle déblayait Elle déblayait le chantier. She was clearing the construction site.
on déblayait On déblayait les gravats. We were clearing the rubble.
nous déblayions Nous déblayions le terrain. We were clearing the land.
vous déblayiez Vous déblayiez la salle. You were clearing the room.
ils déblayaient Ils déblayaient les décombres. They were clearing the ruins.
elles déblayaient Elles déblayaient la voie. They were clearing the way.

Other Conjugations for Déblayer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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