Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dépalisser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dépalisser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dépalisser. 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 “dépalisser” is “to untwine” or “to untie.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “dépalisser” is [de-pa-li-se].

The word “dépalisser” originates from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (meaning “un-” or “undo”) and the verb “palisser” (meaning “to twine” or “to tie”). It is most often used in everyday French to describe the action of undoing or untwining something that has been previously tied or twisted.

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

  1. Chaque automne, nous dépalissions les vignes pour les préparer à l’hiver.
    (Every autumn, we untwined the vines to prepare them for winter.)

  2. Quand j’étais enfant, je dépalissais les lianes dans le jardin de ma grand-mère.
    (When I was a child, I used to untwine the creepers in my grandmother’s garden.)

  3. Les jardiniers dépalissaient les plantes grimpantes pour les guider le long des treillages.
    (The gardeners would untwine the climbing plants to guide them along the trellises.)

In these examples, the verb “dépalisser” is used in the imparfait tense to describe a habitual or ongoing action in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dépalisser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dépalissais Je dépalissais la vigne. I was untangling the vine.
tu dépalissais Tu dépalissais les fleurs. You were untangling the flowers.
il dépalissait Il dépalissait les arbres. He was untangling the trees.
elle dépalissait Elle dépalissait les plantes. She was untangling the plants.
on dépalissait On dépalissait les branches. We were untangling the branches.
nous dépalissions Nous dépalissions le jardin. We were untangling the garden.
vous dépalissiez Vous dépalissiez le champ. You were untangling the field.
ils dépalissaient Ils dépalissaient les roses. They were untangling the roses.
elles dépalissaient Elles dépalissaient les vignes. They were untangling the vines.

Other Conjugations for Dépalisser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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