Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dérouler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dérouler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dérouler. 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 “dérouler” is “to unroll” or “to unfold.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “dérouler” is as follows: day-roo-lay.

The verb “dérouler” comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (which denotes separation or reversal) and the verb “rouler” (to roll). It originated from Latin “rotulare” meaning “to roll on wheels.” In everyday French, “dérouler” is commonly used to describe the action of unrolling or unfolding something physically or metaphorically.

Here are three simple examples of the verb “dérouler” used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque matin, je déroulais le tapis rouge devant la porte. (Every morning, I used to unroll the red carpet in front of the door.)
  2. Pendant l’entretien, le professeur déroulait le plan de cours étape par étape. (During the interview, the teacher was unfolding the course plan step by step.)
  3. L’histoire se déroulait dans un petit village pittoresque. (The story was unfolding in a picturesque small village.)

Note: The imparfait tense in French is often used to describe past habitual actions, ongoing actions, or to set the scene in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dérouler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je déroulais Je déroulais le tapis. I was unrolling the carpet.
tu déroulais Tu déroulais la ficelle. You were unwinding the string.
il déroulait Il déroulait le film. He was unrolling the film.
elle déroulait Elle déroulait le rouleau. She was unwinding the roll.
on déroulait On déroulait le tapis rouge. We were unrolling the red carpet.
nous déroulions Nous déroulions la bannière. We were unfurling the banner.
vous dérouliez Vous dérouliez le tapis vert. You were unrolling the green carpet.
ils déroulaient Ils déroulaient les documents. They were unrolling the documents.
elles déroulaient Elles déroulaient le parchemin. They were unrolling the parchment.

Other Conjugations for Dérouler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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