Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déguster

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déguster

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of déguster. 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 “déguster” is “to taste” or “to savor.” The infinitive form “déguster” is pronounced as “day-goo-stay.”

The word “déguster” comes from the Latin “gustare,” meaning “to taste.” It is most often used in everyday French to express the action of enjoying or savoring food or drinks. It can also be used metaphorically to describe the act of appreciating or experiencing something fully.

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

  1. Chaque semaine, nous dégustions un nouveau vin. (Every week, we would taste a new wine.)
  2. Pendant nos vacances en Italie, nous dégustions des pâtes délicieuses dans de petits restaurants locaux. (During our vacation in Italy, we would savor delicious pasta in small local restaurants.)
  3. Quand j’étais enfant, je dégustais toujours les gâteaux faits maison de ma grand-mère. (When I was a child, I would always taste my grandmother’s homemade cakes.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past in French.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of déguster

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dégustais Je dégustais du vin. I was tasting wine.
tu dégustais Tu dégustais des fromages. You were tasting cheeses.
il dégustait Il dégustait un dessert. He was tasting a dessert.
elle dégustait Elle dégustait un plat exotique. She was tasting an exotic dish.
on dégustait On dégustait différentes bières. We were tasting different beers.
nous dégustions Nous dégustions des vins rouges. We were tasting red wines.
vous dégustiez Vous dégustiez des chocolats. You were tasting chocolates.
ils dégustaient Ils dégustaient des fruits de mer. They were tasting seafood.
elles dégustaient Elles dégustaient des pâtisseries. They were tasting pastries.

Other Conjugations for Déguster.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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