Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dégoter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dégoter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dégoter. 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 “dégoter” is “to find” or “to come across.” The infinitive form of “dégoter” is pronounced as [deɡɔte].

“Dégoter” comes from the word “goter” which means “to taste” in Old French. It evolved from the Latin word “gustāre,” which has the same meaning. In everyday French, “dégoter” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe an ongoing or habitual action in the past.

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

  1. Chaque jour, je dégotais de vieux vinyles dans le grenier.
    (Every day, I would find old vinyl records in the attic.)

  2. Quand j’étais enfant, je dégotais des trésors dans la forêt.
    (When I was a child, I would come across treasures in the forest.)

  3. Pendant les vacances, nous dégotions de jolis coquillages sur la plage.
    (During the holidays, we would find beautiful seashells on the beach.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dégoter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dégotais Je dégotais des bonnes affaires. I used to find good deals.
tu dégotais Tu dégotais des objets rares. You used to find rare items.
il dégotait Il dégotait de vieux livres. He used to find old books.
elle dégotait Elle dégotait des articles de collection. She used to find collectible items.
on dégotait On dégotait des produits uniques. We used to find unique products.
nous dégotions Nous dégotions des trésors cachés. We used to find hidden treasures.
vous dégotiez Vous dégotiez des antiquités. You used to find antiques.
ils dégotaient Ils dégotaient des souvenirs du passé. They used to find memories from the past.
elles dégotaient Elles dégotaient des pièces d’art. They used to find art pieces.

Other Conjugations for Dégoter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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