Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débuter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débuter

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The English translation of the French verb “débuter” is “to start” or “to begin.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “débuter” is [deh-byoo-tey].

The word “débuter” comes from the French noun “début,” meaning “beginning” or “start.” It originates from the Latin word “debūtāre,” which means “to have one’s first appearance.” In everyday French, “débuter” is commonly used in the imparfait tense, which indicates an ongoing or repeated action in the past.

Here are three examples of how “débuter” is used in the imparfait tense, along with their respective English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je débutais toujours la journée avec un café.
    (When I was young, I would always start the day with a coffee.)

  2. Nous débutions chaque réunion en donnant un résumé des tâches accomplies.
    (We would start each meeting by giving a summary of the tasks completed.)

  3. Pendant mes années d’études, je débutais souvent mes devoirs tard dans la soirée.
    (During my years of study, I would often start my homework late in the evening.)

These examples demonstrate the use of “débuter” in the imparfait tense to describe habitual or ongoing actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débuter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je débutais Je débutais ma journée. I was starting my day.
tu débutais Tu débutais un nouveau projet. You were starting a new project.
il débutait Il débutait sa carrière. He was starting his career.
elle débutait Elle débutait un sport. She was starting a sport.
on débutait On débutait une nouvelle saison. We were starting a new season.
nous commencions Nous commencions à étudier. We were starting to study.
vous débutiez Vous débutiez votre voyage. You were starting your journey.
ils débutaient Ils débutaient leur concert. They were starting their concert.
elles débutaient Elles débutaient leur entreprise. They were starting their business.

Other Conjugations for Débuter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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