Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déchanter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déchanter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of déchanter. 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 déchanter is “to be disillusioned” or “to lose one’s illusions.” The infinitive form, déchanter, is pronounced as “de-shawn-tay.”

Déchanter derives from the prefix “dé-” (indicating a reversal or an undoing) and the verb “chanter” (to sing). Its original meaning in French refers to the action of a choir or a group of voices returning to unison after a passage in harmony. Over time, the verb has acquired a figurative sense, used to express the feeling of disappointment or disillusionment.

In everyday French, déchanter in the imparfait tense is commonly used to describe an ongoing state of being disillusioned or losing one’s illusions in the past. It is often used to express a continuous feeling or experience that lasted for a certain period.

Here are three examples of déchanter used in the imparfait tense:

  1. Je déchantais devant les réalités de la vie.
    (I was disillusioned by the realities of life.)
  2. Tu déchantais peu à peu en réalisant la vérité sur cette personne.
    (You were becoming disillusioned little by little as you realized the truth about that person.)
  3. Nous déchantions chaque jour en voyant nos espoirs s’envoler.
    (We were getting disillusioned every day as we saw our hopes fade away.)

Please note that the English translations provided here are not literal but rather convey the sense of déchanter in context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of déchanter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je déchantais Je déchantais devant la réalité. I was disillusioned by reality.
tu déchantais Tu déchantais rapidement. You were quickly disillusioned.
il déchantait Il déchantait souvent. He was often disillusioned.
elle déchantait Elle déchantait après chaque expérience. She was disillusioned after every experience.
on déchantait On déchantait ensemble. We were disillusioned together.
nous déchantions Nous déchantions face aux difficultés. We were disillusioned by the difficulties.
vous déchantiez Vous déchantiez lentement. You were slowly disillusioned.
ils déchantaient Ils déchantaient finalement. They were finally disillusioned.
elles déchantaient Elles déchantaient chaque fois. They were disillusioned every time.

Other Conjugations for Déchanter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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