Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrayer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débrayer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of débrayer. 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 débrayer is “to disengage” or “to release”. The infinitive form, débrayer, is pronounced as “day-breh-yay”.

Débrayer comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (which indicates negation or reversal) and the verb “brayer” (which means “to bray” or “to cry”). Originally, débrayer referred to the action of taking the bit out of a horse’s mouth and allowing it to rest. Over time, its meaning evolved to include disengaging or releasing various mechanical or electrical devices.

In everyday French, débrayer is commonly used in the imparfait tense, which expresses ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It is often used to talk about the process of disengaging or releasing something.

Here are three simple examples of débrayer in the imparfait tense:

  1. Je débraillais le levier de vitesse. (I was disengaging the gear lever.)
  2. Tu débraillais le frein à main. (You were releasing the handbrake.)
  3. Il/elle débraillait l’embrayage. (He/she was disengaging the clutch.)

Note: The word débrailler (without the “y”) can also be used to refer to the action of unfastening or loosening clothes. However, débrayer (with the “y”) is specifically used in the context of mechanical or electrical disengagement.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débrayer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je débraillais Je débraillais ma chemise. I was unbuttoning my shirt.
tu débraillais Tu débraillais ta jupe. You were unbuttoning your skirt.
il débraillait Il débraillait son pantalon. He was unbuttoning his pants.
elle débraillait Elle débraillait sa chemise. She was unbuttoning her shirt.
on débraillait On débraillait nos vêtements. We were unbuttoning our clothes.
nous débrayions Nous débrayions le système. We were disengaging the system.
vous débrailliez Vous débrailliez vos ceintures. You were unfastening your belts.
ils débraillaient Ils débraillaient leurs vestes. They were unbuttoning their jackets.
elles débraillaient Elles débraillaient leurs chemisiers. They were unbuttoning their blouses.

Other Conjugations for Débrayer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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