Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débourrer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débourrer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of débourrer. 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 débourrer is “to break in” or “to train.” The infinitive form of débourrer is pronounced as “day-boor-ray.”

Débourrer comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (meaning “to remove”) and the verb “bourrer” (meaning “to stuff” or “to fill”). The word débourrer has its origins in the language of horsemanship, where it refers to the process of breaking in or training a young horse. However, it can also be used metaphorically to describe the process of introducing or familiarizing someone or something to a new situation.

In everyday French, débourrer is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Here are three examples of débourrer in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, je débourrais les chevaux de mon grand-père.
    (When I was a child, I used to break in my grandfather’s horses.)

  2. Ils débourraient le chien en douceur, en lui faisant rencontrer d’autres animaux.
    (They were gently training the dog by introducing it to other animals.)

  3. Chaque semaine, elle débourrait les nouveaux employés en leur expliquant les procédures de l’entreprise.
    (Every week, she would train the new employees by explaining the company’s procedures to them.)

Note: The translations provided are approximate, as the context may influence the specific choice of wording.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débourrer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je débourrais Je débourrais le cheval. I was breaking in the horse.
tu débourrais Tu débourrais les chaussures. You were breaking in the shoes.
il débourrait Il débourrait le chien. He was breaking in the dog.
elle débourrait Elle débourrait la selle. She was breaking in the saddle.
on débourrait On débourrait les nouveaux outils. We were breaking in the new tools.
nous débourrions Nous débourrions les jeunes chevaux. We were breaking in the young horses.
vous débourriez Vous débourriez les bottes. You were breaking in the boots.
ils débourraient Ils débourraient les animaux. They were breaking in the animals.
elles débourraient Elles débourraient les nouvelles voitures. They were breaking in the new cars.

Other Conjugations for Débourrer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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