Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déprimer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déprimer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of déprimer. 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 déprimer is “to depress.” The infinitive form “déprimer” is pronounced as “day-pree-may.”

The verb déprimer comes from the Latin word “deprimere,” which means “to press down.” In everyday French, déprimer is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It is often used to express a state of sadness, discouragement, or feeling down.

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

  1. Je déprimais chaque fois que je regardais les informations.
    (I used to get depressed every time I watched the news.)

  2. Quand elle était seule, elle déprimait facilement.
    (When she was alone, she used to get easily depressed.)

  3. Nous déprimions quand il pleuvait pendant des jours.
    (We would get depressed when it rained for days.)

Note: The translations provided are approximate and may vary based on the context.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of déprimer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je déprimais Je déprimais souvent. I was often depressed.
tu déprimais Tu déprimais tout le temps. You were always depressed.
il déprimait Il déprimait facilement. He was easily depressed.
elle déprimait Elle déprimait à cause du stress. She was depressed because of stress.
on déprimait On déprimait en hiver. We were depressed in winter.
nous déprimions Nous déprimions ensemble. We were depressed together.
vous déprimiez Vous déprimiez sans raison. You were depressed for no reason.
ils déprimaient Ils déprimaient après l’échec. They were depressed after the failure.
elles déprimaient Elles déprimaient pendant l’automne. They were depressed during autumn.

Other Conjugations for Déprimer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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