Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb démener

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb démener

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of démener. 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 démener is “to struggle” or “to strive”. The infinitive form is pronounced as “dey-muh-ney”.

Démener comes from the Old French verb “desmenir” which means “to move away” or “to get away”. It is derived from the Latin word “dis-” (apart) and “movere” (to move). In everyday French, démener is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of démener in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Nous nous démênions pour trouver une solution.
    (We were struggling to find a solution.)

  2. Tu te démênes toujours pour réussir.
    (You were always striving to succeed.)

  3. Les ouvriers se démênaient afin de terminer le projet à temps.
    (The workers were struggling to finish the project on time.)

Please note that the translations provided are literal and may vary depending on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of démener

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je me démenais Je me démenais pour réussir. I was struggling to succeed.
tu te démenais Tu te démenais pour trouver une solution. You were trying hard to find a solution.
il se démenait Il se démenait pour obtenir une promotion. He was working hard to get a promotion.
elle se démenait Elle se démenait pour aider les autres. She was going out of her way to help others.
on se démenait On se démenait pour organiser la fête. We were putting in a lot of effort to organize the party.
nous nous démenions Nous nous démenions pour sauver l’entreprise. We were making every effort to save the company.
vous vous déméniez Vous vous déméniez pour aménager dans votre nouvelle maison. You were busy moving to your new house.
ils se démenaient Ils se démenaient pour terminer le projet à temps. They were working hard to finish the project on time.
elles se démenaient Elles se démenaient pour concilier travail et famille. They were juggling work and family.

Other Conjugations for Démener.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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