Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désaccorder

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désaccorder

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of désaccorder. 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 “désaccorder” is “to be out of tune.” The infinitive form of “désaccorder” is pronounced as “day-zah-koor-day.”

The word “désaccorder” is derived from the prefix “dés-” meaning “un-” or “not,” and the verb “accorder” meaning “to tune” or “to harmonize.” In everyday French, “désaccorder” is most commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Here are three examples of how “désaccorder” is used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque fois que je jouais du piano, je désaccordais les cordes. (Every time I played the piano, I would be out of tune the strings.)
  2. Quand j’étais enfant, je désaccordais constamment ma guitare. (When I was a child, I would constantly be out of tune my guitar.)
  3. Nous désaccordions nos voix pendant le concert. (We would be out of tune our voices during the concert.)

These examples highlight the ongoing or repeated nature of being out of tune in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of désaccorder

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je désaccordais Je désaccordais avec lui. I disagreed with him.
tu désaccordais Tu désaccordais souvent. You disagreed often.
il désaccordait Il désaccordait avec elle. He disagreed with her.
elle désaccordait Elle désaccordait avec lui. She disagreed with him.
on désaccordait On désaccordait sur tout. We disagreed about everything.
nous désaccordions Nous désaccordions sur ce sujet. We disagreed on this topic.
vous désaccordiez Vous désaccordiez souvent. You disagreed often.
ils désaccordaient Ils désaccordaient avec elles. They disagreed with them.
elles désaccordaient Elles désaccordaient sur cette question. They disagreed on this question.

Other Conjugations for Désaccorder.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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