Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dégingander

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dégingander

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dégingander. 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 “dégingander” is “to dishevel” or “to disarray.” The infinitive form “dégingander” is pronounced as “day-zheen-gahn-day.”

The term “dégingander” originated from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (meaning “un-” or “de-“) and the word “ginguand” (a Parisian slang term used in the 19th century to describe someone dressed in a shabby or messy manner). Over time, the verb “dégingander” has evolved to mean the action of making something or someone appear untidy, disordered, or disheveled.

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

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je dégingandais mes cheveux tous les matins.
    (When I was young, I would dishevel my hair every morning.)

  2. Pendant la fête, les enfants dégingandaient les oreillers pour une bataille de polochons.
    (During the party, the children would disarray the pillows for a pillow fight.)

  3. Mon chien adorait dégingander mes vêtements en les tirant par terre.
    (My dog used to love disheveling my clothes by pulling them on the floor.)

Note: Please keep in mind that the usage of “dégingander” in the imparfait tense may vary in different contexts, and these examples are only meant to demonstrate its general usage in everyday French.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dégingander

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dégingandais Je dégingandais ma tenue. I was untangling my outfit.
tu dégingandais Tu dégingandais tes cheveux. You were tousling your hair.
il dégingandait Il dégingandait sa démarche. He was walking awkwardly.
elle dégingandait Elle dégingandait son style. She was messing up her style.
on dégingandait On dégingandait tout. We were untangling everything.
nous dégingandions Nous dégingandions nos vêtements. We were untangling our clothes.
vous dégingandiez Vous dégingandiez vos accessoires. You were untangling your accessories.
ils dégingandaient Ils dégingandaient leurs cordes. They were untangling their ropes.
elles dégingandaient Elles dégingandaient leurs fils. They were untangling their threads.

Other Conjugations for Dégingander.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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