Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dégoutter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dégoutter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dégoutter. 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 dégoutter is “to drip” or “to drain.” The infinitive form, dégoutter, is pronounced as “day-goo-tay.”

The word dégoutter originates from the French word “goutte,” meaning “drop.” It belongs to the first conjugation group (-er verbs) and is most commonly used to indicate the action of liquid falling in drops or draining from something.

In everyday French, dégoutter in the imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or continuous actions in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je dégouttais du robinet toute la journée.
    Translation: I was dripping from the tap all day.
    (Here, the verb dégoutter is used to describe a continuous action of water dripping from the tap throughout the day.)

  2. L’eau dégouttait lentement du parapluie.
    Translation: The water was slowly dripping from the umbrella.
    (In this sentence, dégoutter is used to describe the ongoing action of water dripping slowly from the umbrella.)

  3. Il dégouttait de l’évier pendant des heures.
    Translation: He was draining from the sink for hours.
    (Here, dégoutter is used to express the continuous action of liquid draining from the sink for a long duration.)

Note: The translations provided are not literal translations but are intended to convey the meaning of the sentence in English.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dégoutter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dégouttais Je dégouttais sur le sol. I was dripping on the floor.
tu dégouttais Tu dégouttais de la glace. You were dripping ice cream.
il dégouttait Il dégouttait de la pluie. He was dripping rain.
elle dégouttait Elle dégouttait de transpiration. She was dripping with sweat.
on dégouttait On dégouttait de la gouttière. We were dripping from the gutter.
nous dégouttions Nous dégouttions de la fontaine. We were dripping from the fountain.
vous dégouttiez Vous dégouttiez de l’évier. You were dripping from the sink.
ils dégouttaient Ils dégouttaient de la bouteille. They were dripping from the bottle.
elles dégouttaient Elles dégouttaient de la tuyauterie. They were dripping from the pipe.

Other Conjugations for Dégoutter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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