Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dérayer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dérayer

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The English translation of the French verb “dérayer” is “to derail.” The infinitive form, “dérayer,” is pronounced as “deh-rey-ay.”

The verb “dérayer” is derived from the Old French word “rayer,” meaning “to scrape” or “to erase.” In everyday French, “dérayer” is usually used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, le train déraillait souvent.
    (When I was a child, the train would often derail.)

  2. Nous déraillions toujours à cette courbe dangereuse.
    (We would always derail at that dangerous curve.)

  3. Tu déraillais fréquemment pendant tes premières leçons de conduite.
    (You used to frequently derail during your early driving lessons.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dérayer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dérayais Je dérayais le vélo. I was derailing the bike.
tu dérayais Tu dérayais souvent. You were often derailing.
il dérayait Il dérayait le train. He was derailing the train.
elle dérayait Elle dérayait les wagons. She was derailing the wagons.
on dérayait On dérayait les voitures. We were derailing the cars.
nous dérayions Nous dérayions les machines. We were derailing the machines.
vous dérayiez Vous dérayiez les engins. You were derailing the engines.
ils dérayaient Ils dérayaient les locomotives. They were derailing the locomotives.
elles dérayaient Elles dérayaient les camions. They were derailing the trucks.

Other Conjugations for Dérayer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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