Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décapoter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décapoter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of décapoter. 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 “décapoter” is “to remove the roof” or “to open the convertible top.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “décapoter” is [deh-kah-po-te].

The verb “décapoter” originates from the combination of two words: “dé-” (which expresses the idea of separation or removal) and “capote” (meaning “cap” or “cover”). It is primarily used in everyday French to describe the action of opening the roof of a convertible car.

Here are three simple examples of the usage of “décapoter” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque été, nous décapotions la voiture et profitions du beau temps.
    (Every summer, we would open the convertible top and enjoy the nice weather.)

  2. Pendant nos vacances en Provence, nous décapotions la voiture tous les jours pour sentir la brise.
    (During our vacation in Provence, we would open the convertible top every day to feel the breeze.)

  3. Quand j’étais jeune, je décapotais ma voiture dès que le soleil brillait.
    (When I was young, I used to open the convertible top of my car as soon as the sun was shining.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of décapoter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je décapotais Je décapotais la voiture. I was opening the car’s top.
tu décapotais Tu décapotais souvent. You were often opening.
il décapotait Il décapotait sa moto. He was opening his motorcycle.
elle décapotait Elle décapotait le cabriolet. She was opening the convertible.
on décapotait On décapotait les véhicules. We were opening the vehicles.
nous décapotions Nous décapotions notre voiture. We were opening our car.
vous décapotiez Vous décapotiez la voiture de location. You were opening the rental car.
ils décapotaient Ils décapotaient les voitures de sport. They were opening the sports cars.
elles décapotaient Elles décapotaient les camions. They were opening the trucks.

Other Conjugations for Décapoter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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