Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décalcifier

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décalcifier

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of décalcifier. 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 décalcifier is “to decalcify.” The infinitive form of décalcifier is pronounced as “dey-kal-see-fee-ay.”

Décalcifier is derived from the French word “calcaire,” which means “calcium.” The prefix “dé-” is used to indicate the removal or reversal of an action. Therefore, décalcifier refers to the action of removing calcium deposits or decalcifying.

In everyday French, décalcifier is most commonly used in the imparfait tense to talk about ongoing or habitual actions in the past. The imparfait tense is also used for descriptions, states, and background information in the past.

Here are three examples of décalcifier in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Chaque semaine, je décalcifiais ma bouilloire. (Every week, I would decalcify my kettle.)
  2. Quand j’étais enfant, mes parents décalcifiaient régulièrement la machine à laver. (When I was a child, my parents would regularly decalcify the washing machine.)
  3. Nous décalcifiions nos robinets tous les mois pour éviter les dépôts de calcaire. (We used to decalcify our faucets every month to avoid limescale build-up.)

Note: The English translations of the examples may slightly vary according to the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of décalcifier

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je décalcifiais Je décalcifiais la machine à café. I was descaling the coffee machine.
tu décalcifiais Tu décalcifiais la bouilloire. You were descaling the kettle.
il décalcifiait Il décalcifiait la douche. He was descaling the shower.
elle décalcifiait Elle décalcifiait la machine à laver. She was descaling the washing machine.
on décalcifiait On décalcifiait la robinetterie. We were descaling the faucets.
nous décalcifiions Nous décalcifiions la cafetière. We were descaling the coffee maker.
vous décalcifiiez Vous décalcifiiez la bouilloire. You were descaling the kettle.
ils décalcifiaient Ils décalcifiaient les appareils électroménagers. They were descaling the appliances.
elles décalcifiaient Elles décalcifiaient les machines. They were descaling the machines.

Other Conjugations for Décalcifier.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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