Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb défoncer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb défoncer

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The English translation of the French verb “défoncer” is “to smash” or “to break down.” The infinitive form “défoncer” is pronounced as “dey-fawn-say.”

The word “défoncer” has its origins in the Old French word “defoncier,” which comes from the Latin word “disfonsus,” meaning “thrown down” or “destroyed.” In everyday French, “défoncer” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe an ongoing or repeated action in the past.

Here are three examples of how “défoncer” can be used in the imparfait tense in everyday French:

  1. Chaque semaine, on défonçait les murs pour agrandir la pièce.
    (Every week, we would smash down the walls to enlarge the room.)

  2. Quand j’étais enfant, je défonçais souvent mes jouets par accident.
    (When I was a child, I would often accidentally break my toys.)

  3. Pendant la manifestation, les manifestants défonçaient les vitrines des magasins.
    (During the protest, the demonstrators would smash the store windows.)

English translations:

  1. Every week, we would smash down the walls to enlarge the room.
  2. When I was a child, I would often accidentally break my toys.
  3. During the protest, the demonstrators would smash the store windows.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of défoncer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je défonçais Je défonçais la porte. I was breaking down the door.
tu défonçais Tu défonçais les murs. You were smashing the walls.
il défonçait Il défonçait la voiture. He was smashing the car.
elle défonçait Elle défonçait la fenêtre. She was breaking the window.
on défonçait On défonçait les portes. We were breaking down the doors.
nous défoncions Nous défoncions les obstacles. We were smashing the obstacles.
vous défonciez Vous défonciez les barrières. You were breaking down the barriers.
ils défonçaient Ils défonçaient les meubles. They were smashing the furniture.
elles défonçaient Elles défonçaient les objets. They were breaking the objects.

Other Conjugations for Défoncer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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