Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désassembler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désassembler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of désassembler. 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 “désassembler” is “to disassemble.” The infinitive form, “désassembler,” is pronounced as “day-zah-sahm-blay.”

“Désassembler” is derived from the French prefix “dés-” (meaning “un-” or “dis-“) and the verb “assembler” (meaning “to assemble”). It refers to the action of taking something apart or disassembling it.

In everyday French, “désassembler” in the imparfait tense is often used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It can also be used to provide background information or set the scene for a narrative or story.

Here are three examples of “désassembler” used in the imparfait tense, along with their translations:

  1. Je désassemblais mon vieux vélo tous les étés pour le nettoyer. (I used to disassemble my old bike every summer to clean it.)
  2. Quand j’étais enfant, mon père désassemblait souvent le moteur de sa voiture pour le réparer lui-même. (When I was a child, my father would often disassemble the car engine to repair it himself.)
  3. Ils désassemblaient l’appareil électronique avec précaution pour comprendre son fonctionnement. (They were disassembling the electronic device carefully to understand how it worked.)

Please note that translations may vary depending on the context and intended meaning.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of désassembler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je désassemblais Je désassemblais le moteur. I was disassembling the engine.
tu désassemblais Tu désassemblais les pièces. You were disassembling the parts.
il désassemblait Il désassemblait la machine. He was disassembling the machine.
elle désassemblait Elle désassemblait le meuble. She was disassembling the furniture.
on désassemblait On désassemblait les appareils. We were disassembling the devices.
nous désassemblions Nous désassemblions les objets. We were disassembling the objects.
vous désassembliez Vous désassembliez les outils. You were disassembling the tools.
ils désassemblaient Ils désassemblaient les machines. They were disassembling the machines.
elles désassemblaient Elles désassemblaient les moteurs. They were disassembling the engines.

Other Conjugations for Désassembler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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