Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débonder

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débonder

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The English translation of the French verb “débonder” is “to unbind” or “to untie.” The infinitive form “débonder” is pronounced as [de-bɔ̃.de].

The word “débonder” is derived from the Old French term “desbonder,” which came from the Latin words “dis-” (meaning “undo” or “remove”) and “bundus” (meaning “bound” or “tied”). In everyday French, “débonder” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe a continuous or ongoing action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of “débonder” used in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Nous débondions les fils électriques ensemble.
    (We were unbinding the electrical wires together.)

  2. Pendant la réparation, le mécanicien débondait les pièces du moteur.
    (During the repair, the mechanic was unbinding the engine parts.)

  3. Les enfants débondaient les cadeaux avec impatience.
    (The children were eagerly unbinding the presents.)

Note: It’s worth mentioning that in contemporary French, the usage of “débonder” in the imparfait tense is less common. The verb is more frequently used in compound tenses such as the passé composé or the passé simple.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débonder

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je débondais Je débondais rapidement. I was bouncing back quickly.
tu débondais Tu débondais facilement. You were bouncing back easily.
il débondait Il débondait sans effort. He was bouncing back effortlessly.
elle débondait Elle débondait avec grâce. She was bouncing back gracefully.
on débondait On débondait naturellement. We were bouncing back naturally.
nous débondions Nous débondions ensemble. We were bouncing back together.
vous débondiez Vous débondiez rapidement. You were bouncing back quickly.
ils débondait Ils débondait sans difficulté. They were bouncing back without difficulty.
elles débondait Elles débondait avec confiance. They were bouncing back confidently.

Other Conjugations for Débonder.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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