Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb démascler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb démascler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of démascler. 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 démascler is “to unmask” or “to expose.” The infinitive form, démascler, is pronounced as “day-mas-klay.”

Démascler is derived from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (indicating reversal or removal) and the word “masque” (meaning mask). It is primarily used to describe the action of revealing someone’s true identity or intentions, exposing a hidden truth, or debunking a falsehood.

In everyday French, démascler is often used in the imparfait tense to discuss ongoing or repeated actions in the past. This tense conveys a sense of habitual or continuous actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of démascler in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque année, il démasclait les fraudeurs du concours. (Every year, he would unmask the cheaters in the competition.)
  2. Nous démasclions les politiciens corrompus dans notre émission télévisée. (We used to expose corrupt politicians on our television show.)
  3. Pendant des mois, elles démasclaient les mensonges de leur collègue. (For months, they were unmasking their colleague’s lies.)

In these examples, démascler is used to describe a repeated action or an ongoing process of exposing or unmasking someone or something.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of démascler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je démasclais Je démasclais les mensonges. I was unmasking the lies.
tu démasclais Tu démasclais les imposteurs. You were exposing the impostors.
il démasclait Il démasclait les tromperies. He was revealing the deceptions.
elle démasclait Elle démasclait les secrets. She was uncovering the secrets.
on démasclait On démasclait les trahisons. We were exposing the betrayals.
nous démasclions Nous démasclions les faux amis. We were unmasking the fake friends.
vous démascliez Vous démascliez les escrocs. You were exposing the scammers.
ils démasclaient Ils démasclaient les hypocrites. They were unmasking the hypocrites.
elles démasclaient Elles démasclaient les menteuses. They were unmasking the liars.

Other Conjugations for Démascler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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