Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débouler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débouler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of débouler. 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 “débouler” is “to tumble” or “to roll down.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “débouler” is [deh-boo-leh].

The verb “débouler” originates from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (indicating a reversal of action) and the noun “boule” (which means “ball” or “boulder”). It is often used in everyday French to describe the action of tumbling or rolling down, both literally and figuratively.

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

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je déboulais les escaliers tous les matins.
    (When I was a child, I used to tumble down the stairs every morning.)

  2. Pendant la récréation, les enfants déboulaient la colline en riant.
    (During recess, the children would roll down the hill while laughing.)

  3. Chaque fois qu’il y avait une panne de courant, les objets déboulaient des étagères.
    (Whenever there was a power outage, objects would tumble off the shelves.)

In these examples, “débouler” is used to describe the action of tumbling or rolling down the stairs, a hill, or objects falling off shelves. The imparfait tense indicates that these actions were habitual or ongoing in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débouler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je déboulais Je déboulais dans la pièce. I was rushing into the room.
tu déboulais Tu déboulais dehors. You were rushing outside.
il déboulait Il déboulait à toute vitesse. He was rushing at full speed.
elle déboulait Elle déboulait sur la piste. She was rushing down the track.
on déboulait On déboulait dans la rue. We were rushing down the street.
nous déboulions Nous déboulions des escaliers. We were rushing down the stairs.
vous débouliez Vous débouliez du train. You were rushing off the train.
ils déboulaient Ils déboulaient dans le parc. They were rushing into the park.
elles déboulaient Elles déboulaient dans la salle. They were rushing into the room.

Other Conjugations for Débouler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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