Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dépecer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dépecer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dépecer. 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 dépecer is “to carve” or “to butcher.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form dépecer is “dey-peh-sey.”

Dépecer originates from the Old French word “despecier,” which means “to divide into pieces.” It comes from the Latin word “dissecare,” meaning “to cut to pieces.” In everyday French, dépecer is commonly used in the imparfait tense, which is used to describe ongoing or repeated past actions.

Three simple examples of dépecer in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations are:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je dépeçais les poulets tous les dimanches.
    (When I was young, I used to carve chickens every Sunday.)

  2. Pendant les vacances, nous dépecions souvent les fruits pour faire des salades.
    (During the holidays, we would often carve fruits to make salads.)

  3. Tu dépeçais le gibier avec tant de précision.
    (You used to carve the game with such precision.)

Note: These translations are in the past tense to reflect the imparfait tense in English, but the French examples are in the present tense to illustrate the usage of dépecer in the imparfait.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dépecer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dépeçais Je dépeçais la viande. I was butchering the meat.
tu dépeçais Tu dépeçais le poisson. You were filleting the fish.
il dépeçait Il dépeçait le gibier. He was skinning the game.
elle dépeçait Elle dépeçait le lapin. She was cutting up the rabbit.
on dépeçait On dépeçait les légumes. We were dicing the vegetables.
nous dépeçions Nous dépeçions les fruits. We were peeling the fruits.
vous dépeciez Vous dépeciez les crevettes. You were deveining the shrimps.
ils dépeçaient Ils dépeçaient les volailles. They were carving the poultry.
elles dépeçaient Elles dépeçaient les lapins. They were sectioning the rabbits.

Other Conjugations for Dépecer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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