Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débobiner

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débobiner

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of débobiner. 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 “débobiner” is “to unwind” or “to unspool”. The pronunciation of the infinitive form “débobiner” is: day-bo-bee-nay.

“Débobiner” comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (indicating reversal) and the verb “bobiner” meaning “to wind” or “to coil”. It is commonly used in everyday French to describe the action of unwinding or unspooling something, usually in a literal sense, such as unspooling a thread or unwinding a tape.

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

  1. Chaque soir, je débobinais le fil pour tricoter. (Every evening, I was unwinding the yarn to knit.)
  2. Ils débobinaient la bande magnétique pour revoir les vieilles vidéos. (They were unspooling the tape to watch old videos again.)
  3. Pendant l’orage, les arbres débobinaient leurs branches. (During the storm, the trees were unwinding their branches.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, as opposed to specific events.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débobiner

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je débobinais Je débobinais le fil. I was unwinding the thread.
tu débobinais Tu débobinais la cassette. You were rewinding the tape.
il débobinait Il débobinait le film. He was unrolling the film.
elle débobinait Elle débobinait la laine. She was unraveling the wool.
on débobinait On débobinait les bobines. We were unspooling the reels.
nous débobinions Nous débobinions les bobines. We were unspooling the reels.
vous débobiniez Vous débobiniez la bande. You were rewinding the tape.
ils débobinaient Ils débobinaient le câble. They were uncoiling the cable.
elles débobinaient Elles débobinaient le fil. They were unwinding the thread.

Other Conjugations for Débobiner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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