Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décarcasser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décarcasser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of décarcasser. 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 décarcasser is “to rack one’s brain/to go to great lengths.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “day-kar-kah-say.”

The verb décarcasser comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (indicating an intensive action) and the word “carcasse” (meaning carcass or skeleton). Its language origin is derived from the concept of working hard to the point of exhausting oneself, as if someone were putting their entire body into the effort.

In everyday French, décarcasser is often used in the imparfait tense to describe continuous or ongoing actions in the past. It emphasizes the notion of someone making great efforts or thinking very hard about something.

Three examples of décarcasser in the imparfait tense with their English translations are:

  1. Je me décarcassais pour trouver une solution. (I was racking my brain to find a solution.)
  2. Il se décarcassait pour réussir ses examens. (He was going to great lengths to pass his exams.)
  3. Nous nous décarcassions pour préparer une surprise. (We were working hard to prepare a surprise.)

Note that décarcasser can also be used in other tenses and moods, depending on the context and the desired meaning.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of décarcasser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je me décarcassais Je me décarcassais pour réussir. I was going all out to succeed.
tu te décarcassais Tu te décarcassais pour trouver une solution. You were racking your brain to find a solution.
il se décarcassait Il se décarcassait pour aider son ami. He was going all out to help his friend.
elle se décarcassait Elle se décarcassait pour terminer son travail. She was going all out to finish her work.
on se décarcassait On se décarcassait pour gagner le match. We were going all out to win the game.
nous nous décarcassions Nous nous décarcassions pour trouver une solution. We were racking our brains to find a solution.
vous vous décarcassiez Vous vous décarcassiez pour aider vos amis. You were going all out to help your friends.
ils se décarcassaient Ils se décarcassaient pour réussir leur projet. They were going all out to succeed in their project.
elles se décarcassaient Elles se décarcassaient pour obtenir de bons résultats. They were going all out to get good results.

Other Conjugations for Décarcasser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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