Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décharger

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décharger

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of décharger. 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 décharger is “to unload” or “to discharge.” The infinitive form, décharger, is pronounced as “day-shar-zhay.”

Décharger originates from the Old French word “descharger” which comes from the Vulgar Latin “discarricare” meaning “to unload.” In everyday French, décharger is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Chaque matin, je déchargeais les cartons du camion. (Every morning, I unloaded the boxes from the truck.)
  2. Pendant les vacances, nous déchargions nos valises à l’hôtel. (During the vacation, we would unload our suitcases at the hotel.)
  3. Quand j’étais jeune, je déchargeais le lave-vaisselle tous les soirs. (When I was young, I used to unload the dishwasher every evening.)

Note: The imparfait tense in French often corresponds to “used to” or “was/were + verb + -ing” in English, indicating a repeated or ongoing action in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of décharger

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je déchargeais Je déchargeais les sacs. I was unloading the bags.
tu déchargeais Tu déchargeais les valises. You were unloading the suitcases.
il déchargeait Il déchargeait la voiture. He was unloading the car.
elle déchargeait Elle déchargeait le camion. She was unloading the truck.
on déchargeait On déchargeait les marchandises. We were unloading the goods.
nous déchargions Nous déchargions les cartons. We were unloading the boxes.
vous déchargiez Vous déchargiez les meubles. You were unloading the furniture.
ils déchargeaient Ils déchargeaient les palettes. They were unloading the pallets.
elles déchargeaient Elles déchargeaient les caisses. They were unloading the crates.

Other Conjugations for Décharger.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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