Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désalper

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désalper

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of désalper. 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 “désalper” is “to remove from the Alps.” The infinitive form “désalper” is pronounced as “day-zal-per.”

The word “désalper” is formed by combining the prefix “dés-” (meaning “to undo” or “to remove”) with “Alpes” (the French word for Alps). It is not a commonly used verb in everyday French conversation, as it specifically refers to the action of removing or leaving the mountain range of the Alps.

In the imparfait tense (imperfect tense), “désalper” would typically be used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Chaque été, ils désalpaient pour passer leurs vacances à la mer.
    (Every summer, they would leave the Alps to spend their holidays by the sea.)

  2. Nous désalpions chaque printemps pour échapper au froid de la montagne.
    (We used to leave the Alps every spring to escape the cold of the mountains.)

  3. Pendant des années, ces bergers désalpaient leurs troupeaux vers de nouveaux pâturages.
    (For years, these shepherds would move their herds away from the Alps to new pastures.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of désalper

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je désalpais Je désalpais les légumes. I was removing the salt from the vegetables.
tu désalpais Tu désalpais la viande. You were removing the salt from the meat.
il désalpait Il désalpait le plat. He was removing the salt from the dish.
elle désalpait Elle désalpait la soupe. She was removing the salt from the soup.
on désalpait On désalpait les aliments. We were removing the salt from the food.
nous désalpions Nous désalpions les sauces. We were removing the salt from the sauces.
vous désalpiez Vous désalpiez le plat principal. You were removing the salt from the main course.
ils désalpaient Ils désalpaient les collations. They were removing the salt from the snacks.
elles désalpaient Elles désalpaient les entrées. They were removing the salt from the appetizers.

Other Conjugations for Désalper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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