Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déchiqueter

Introduction to the verb déchiqueter

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The English translation of the French verb “déchiqueter” is “to shred.” The infinitive form “déchiqueter” is pronounced as “deh-shee-ke-teh.”

The word “déchiqueter” derives from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (which often implies negation or reversal) and the verb “chiqueter” (meaning to chew or bite into small pieces). The origins of “chiqueter” are uncertain, but it is related to the word “chiquer” (to chew).

In everyday French, the verb “déchiqueter” is most frequently used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated shredding actions in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Pendant l’été dernier, je déchiquetais tous mes vieux documents.
    (During last summer, I was shredding all my old documents.)
  2. Les enfants déchiquetaient les vieux journaux pour faire des travaux manuels.
    (The children were shredding old newspapers to do crafts.)
  3. Quand j’étais jeune, nous déchiquetions les lettres confidentielles avant de les jeter.
    (When I was young, we used to shred confidential letters before throwing them away.)

Please note that while these translations capture the main meaning of the sentences, they may not reflect the exact context or nuances of each phrase.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of déchiqueter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je déchiquetais Je déchiquetais le papier. I was shredding the paper.
tu déchiquetais Tu déchiquetais les documents. You were shredding the documents.
il déchiquetait Il déchiquetait les feuilles. He was shredding the leaves.
elle déchiquetait Elle déchiquetait les papiers. She was shredding the papers.
on déchiquetait On déchiquetait les dossiers. We were shredding the files.
nous déchiquetions Nous déchiquetions les lettres. We were shredding the letters.
vous déchiquetiez Vous déchiquetiez les cartes. You were shredding the cards.
ils déchiquetaient Ils déchiquetaient les affiches. They were shredding the posters.
elles déchiquetaient Elles déchiquetaient les brochures. They were shredding the brochures.

Other Conjugations for Déchiqueter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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