Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débroussailler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débroussailler

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The English translation of the French verb débroussailler is “to clear (a path/land) of undergrowth.” The infinitive form of débroussailler is pronounced as “day-broo-say-yay.”

Débroussailler comes from the combination of the words “dé” (which is a prefix indicating removal or separation) and “broussaille” (meaning undergrowth or brushwood). It is commonly used in everyday French to refer to the action of clearing or removing vegetation or undergrowth in order to make a path or land more accessible.

In the imparfait tense, débroussailler is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je débroussaillais souvent le jardin quand j’étais plus jeune.
    (I used to clear the garden of undergrowth often when I was younger.)

  2. Pendant les vacances, nous débroussaillions régulièrement les sentiers de randonnée.
    (During the holidays, we would regularly clear the hiking trails of undergrowth.)

  3. Les travailleurs débroussaillaient la forêt pour prévenir les incendies.
    (The workers were clearing the forest of undergrowth to prevent fires.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débroussailler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je débroussaillais Je débroussaillais le jardin. I was clearing the garden.
tu débroussaillais Tu débroussaillais les haies. You were trimming the hedges.
il débroussaillait Il débroussaillait le terrain. He was clearing the land.
elle débroussaillait Elle débroussaillait les buissons. She was clearing the bushes.
on débroussaillait On débroussaillait la forêt. We were clearing the forest.
nous débroussaillions Nous débroussaillions les chemins. We were clearing the paths.
vous débroussailliez Vous débroussailliez le jardin. You were clearing the garden.
ils débroussaillaient Ils débroussaillaient les broussailles. They were clearing the undergrowth.
elles débroussaillaient Elles débroussaillaient les plantes. They were clearing the plants.

Other Conjugations for Débroussailler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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