Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dépasser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dépasser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dépasser. 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 “dépasser” is “to exceed” or “to go beyond”. The infinitive form “dépasser” is pronounced as [deh-pah-seh].

The word “dépasser” comes from the Old French word “passer” meaning “to pass” or “to surpass”. It originated from the Latin word “passare” which also means “to pass”. In everyday French, “dépasser” is often used in the imparfait tense to describe actions or situations that were ongoing or habitual in the past.

Examples of “dépasser” in the imparfait tense with their English translations are:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je dépassais toujours mes amis en course. (When I was young, I would always surpass my friends in running.)
  2. Elle dépassait souvent les limites de vitesse pendant les vacances. (She would often exceed the speed limits during holidays.)
  3. Nous dépassions régulièrement notre quota de vente chaque mois. (We would regularly exceed our sales target every month.)

In these examples, the verb “dépasser” in the imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing actions or habits in the past, such as consistently surpassing friends in a race, frequently exceeding speed limits, or regularly going beyond the sales target.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dépasser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dépassais Je dépassais toujours les autres. I used to surpass others.
tu dépassais Tu dépassais tes limites. You used to exceed your limits.
il dépassait Il dépassait la vitesse autorisée. He used to exceed the speed limit.
elle dépassait Elle dépassait toutes les attentes. She used to exceed all expectations.
on dépassait On dépassait nos objectifs. We used to exceed our goals.
nous dépassions Nous dépassions nos concurrents. We used to surpass our competitors.
vous dépassiez Vous dépassiez vos limites. You used to exceed your limits.
ils dépassaient Ils dépassaient les autres équipes. They used to surpass the other teams.
elles dépassaient Elles dépassaient les normes. They used to exceed the standards.

Other Conjugations for Dépasser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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