Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décroiser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décroiser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of décroiser. 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 “décroiser” is “to uncross” or “to unclasp.” The infinitive form “décroiser” is pronounced as “day-kwah-zay.”

“Décroiser” is formed by adding the prefix “dé-” (meaning “un-” or “to reverse”) to the verb “croiser” (to cross). It falls under the first conjugation group of verbs, ending in “-er.”

In everyday French, the verb “décroiser” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It expresses an action that was taking place or ongoing in the past without focusing on its completion.

Here are three examples of “décroiser” used in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. J’étais en train de décroiser mes bras quand tu es arrivé.
    (I was uncrossing my arms when you arrived.)

  2. Chaque soir, elle décroisait les doigts de ses mains engourdies.
    (Every evening, she would unclasp the fingers of her numb hands.)

  3. Ils décroisaient les jambes pour se mettre à l’aise.
    (They were uncrossing their legs to get comfortable.)

These examples showcase the use of “décroiser” in the imparfait tense, emphasizing ongoing actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of décroiser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je décroisais Je décroisais les doigts. I was uncrossing my fingers.
tu décroisais Tu décroisais les bras. You were uncrossing your arms.
il décroisait Il décroisait les jambes. He was uncrossing his legs.
elle décroisait Elle décroisait les pieds. She was uncrossing her feet.
on décroisait On décroisait les mains. We were uncrossing our hands.
nous décroisions Nous décroisions les yeux. We were uncrossing our eyes.
vous décroisiez Vous décroisiez les sourcils. You were uncrossing your eyebrows.
ils décroisaient Ils décroisaient les bras. They were uncrossing their arms.
elles décroisaient Elles décroisaient les jambes. They were uncrossing their legs.

Other Conjugations for Décroiser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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