Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dégringoler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dégringoler

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The English translation of the French verb dégringoler is “to tumble” or “to fall down.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form dégringoler is [de-gʁɛ̃-ɡɔ-le].

Dégringoler is derived from the French word “gringue,” which means “stair.” The prefix “dé-” intensifies the action, so dégringoler signifies falling down stairs or tumbling down. In everyday French, dégringoler is most often used in the imparfait tense, which describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Here are three examples of dégringoler in the imparfait tense:

  1. Tous les matins, je dégringolais les escaliers pour me rendre à l’école.
    (Every morning, I used to tumble down the stairs to go to school.)

  2. Quand il pleuvait, les feuilles mouillées dégringolaient sur le trottoir.
    (When it rained, the wet leaves would tumble down on the sidewalk.)

  3. Pendant la fête, les enfants dégringolaient dans le parc sans se soucier de se salir.
    (During the party, the children would tumble down in the park without worrying about getting dirty.)

English translations are provided for each example.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dégringoler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dégringolais Je dégringolais dans les escaliers. I was tumbling down the stairs.
tu dégringolais Tu dégringolais rapidement. You were tumbling down quickly.
il dégringolait Il dégringolait de sa chaise. He was tumbling off his chair.
elle dégringolait Elle dégringolait sur le sol. She was tumbling on the floor.
on dégringolait On dégringolait des montagnes. We were tumbling down mountains.
nous dégringolions Nous dégringolions de la colline. We were tumbling down the hill.
vous dégringoliez Vous dégringoliez sans arrêt. You were tumbling nonstop.
ils dégringolaient Ils dégringolaient dans l’escalier. They were tumbling down the stairs.
elles dégringolaient Elles dégringolaient en riant. They were tumbling down while laughing.

Other Conjugations for Dégringoler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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