Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dégraisser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dégraisser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dégraisser. 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 “dégraisser” is “to degrease.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “day-grays-ay”.

The word “dégraisser” derives from the combination of the prefix “dé-” meaning “to remove” and the noun “graisse” meaning “fat” or “grease.” It is often used in everyday French to describe the act of removing grease or fat from something, such as cleaning a surface or object that has accumulated grease or oil.

In the imparfait tense, “dégraisser” is used to refer to ongoing or habitual actions in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque semaine, je dégraissais la hotte de la cuisine. (Every week, I would degrease the kitchen hood.)
  2. Nous dégraissions les pièces métalliques pour les rendre plus propres. (We were degreasing the metal parts to make them cleaner.)
  3. Pendant des années, elle dégraissait les taches de graisse sur les vêtements. (For years, she used to degrease grease stains on clothes.)

Note: The translations provided may not capture the complete context and nuances of the sentences but aim to offer a general understanding.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dégraisser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dégraissais Je dégraissais la viande. I was removing the fat from the meat.
tu dégraissais Tu dégraissais les plats. You were degreasing the dishes.
il dégraissait Il dégraissait les moteurs. He was degreasing the engines.
elle dégraissait Elle dégraissait la poêle. She was degreasing the pan.
on dégraissait On dégraissait les ustensiles. We were degreasing the utensils.
nous dégraissions Nous dégraissions les surfaces. We were degreasing the surfaces.
vous dégraissiez Vous dégraissiez les pièces. You were degreasing the parts.
ils dégraisssaient Ils dégraissaient les machines. They were degreasing the machines.
elles dégraissaient Elles dégraissaient les casseroles. They were degreasing the pans.

Other Conjugations for Dégraisser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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