Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déboetter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déboetter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of déboetter. 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 “déboetter” is “to unhook” or “to unhitch.” The infinitive form “déboetter” is pronounced as “day-buh-tay.”

The verb “déboetter” originates from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (indicating reversal or removal) and the verb “boetter” (which means “to hook” or “to hitch”). It is commonly used in everyday French in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three examples of “déboetter” used in the imparfait tense:

  1. Je déboettais la remorque tous les jours. (I used to unhook the trailer every day.)
  2. Tu déboettais les chevaux pendant que je préparais le chariot. (You used to unhitch the horses while I prepared the carriage.)
  3. Il/Elle déboettait le câble avec précaution pour éviter tout dommage. (He/She was unhooking the cable carefully to avoid any damage.)

Note: The English translations provided may vary slightly to ensure natural-sounding sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of déboetter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je déboettais Je déboettais la porte. I was unhinging the door.
tu déboettais Tu déboettais les fenêtres. You were unhinging the windows.
il déboettait Il déboettait le meuble. He was unhinging the furniture.
elle déboettait Elle déboettait les portes. She was unhinging the doors.
on déboettait On déboettait les volets. We were unhinging the shutters.
nous déboettions Nous déboettions les cadres. We were unhinging the frames.
vous déboettiez Vous déboettiez les tiroirs. You were unhinging the drawers.
ils déboettaient Ils déboettaient les portails. They were unhinging the gates.
elles déboettaient Elles déboettaient les portes. They were unhinging the doors.

Other Conjugations for Déboetter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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