Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décrocher

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décrocher

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of décrocher. 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 “décrocher” is “to unhook” or “to pick up.” The infinitive form “décrocher” is pronounced as “day-kro-shay.”

The word “décrocher” comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (indicating negation or reversal) and the verb “crocher” (meaning “to hook”). Therefore, “décrocher” refers to the action of unhooking or unhanging something. In everyday French, it is commonly used to describe the act of picking up a phone call or answering a phone call.

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

  1. Chaque soir, il décrochait le téléphone pour parler à sa mère.
    (Every evening, he would pick up the phone to talk to his mother.)

  2. Nous décrochions toujours quand le numéro était inconnu.
    (We used to always answer when the number was unknown.)

  3. Pendant les vacances, ils décrochaient rarement leurs téléphones.
    (During the holidays, they rarely answered their phones.)

In these examples, the imparfait tense indicates a habitual or repeated action in the past, emphasizing the regularity of picking up or answering the phone.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of décrocher

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je décrochais Je décrochais le téléphone. I was answering the phone.
tu décrochais Tu décrochais rapidement. You were answering quickly.
il décrochait Il décrochait les clés. He was taking down the keys.
elle décrochait Elle décrochait le tableau. She was taking down the painting.
on décrochait On décrochait les rideaux. We were taking down the curtains.
nous décrochions Nous décrochions le drapeau. We were taking down the flag.
vous décrochiez Vous décrochiez le chapeau. You were taking off the hat.
ils décrochaient Ils décrochaient les photos. They were taking down the photos.
elles décrochaient Elles décrochaient les étagères. They were taking down the shelves.

Other Conjugations for Décrocher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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