Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb défouler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb défouler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of défouler. 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 “défouler” is “to let off steam” or “to unwind.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “dey-foo-leh.”

The word “défouler” originates from the French words “dé-” (meaning “to undo” or “to reverse”) and “fou” (meaning “crazy” or “mad”). It is most often used in everyday French in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. The imparfait tense is used to talk about past events or states that were not completed or have no specific endpoint.

Here are three simple examples of how “défouler” can be used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je me défoulais en faisant du sport tous les jours. (I used to let off steam by exercising every day.)
  2. Nous nous défoulions en jouant à des jeux vidéo. (We used to unwind by playing video games.)
  3. Tu te défoulais en chantant à tue-tête. (You used to let off steam by singing at the top of your lungs.)

Note that these examples describe ongoing actions or states in the past that were habitual or repeated.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of défouler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je me défoulais Je me défoulais après l’école. I used to let off steam after school.
tu te défoulais Tu te défoulais au gym. You used to let off steam at the gym.
il se défoulait Il se défoulait en faisant du sport. He used to let off steam by doing sports.
elle se défoulait Elle se défoulait en dansant. She used to let off steam by dancing.
on se défoulait On se défoulait en chantant. We used to let off steam by singing.
nous nous défoulions Nous nous défoulions en jouant au football. We used to let off steam by playing soccer.
vous vous défouliez Vous vous défouliez en cuisinant. You used to let off steam by cooking.
ils se défoulaient Ils se défoulaient en faisant du bricolage. They used to let off steam by doing DIY.
elles se défoulaient Elles se défoulaient en peignant. They used to let off steam by painting.

Other Conjugations for Défouler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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