Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désemparer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désemparer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of désemparer. 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 désemparer is “to dishearten” or “to discourage”.

The infinitive form of désemparer is pronounced as [de-zã-pa-re].

Désemparer originated from the Old French word “desemparier”, which means “to lose one’s bearings” or “to be without protection”. In everyday French, désemparer is mainly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

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

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, les critiques de mes professeurs me désemparaient. (When I was a child, my teachers’ criticism disheartened me.)
  2. Chaque fois qu’elle écoutait les nouvelles, la situation politique la désemparait. (Every time she listened to the news, the political situation discouraged her.)
  3. Nous désemparions souvent lorsque nous faisions face à des problèmes complexes. (We used to get disheartened often when we faced complex problems.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of désemparer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je désemparais Je désemparais devant la situation. I was at a loss in front of the situation.
tu désemparais Tu désemparais facilement. You were easily disconcerted.
il désemparait Il désemparait ses collègues. He disconcerted his colleagues.
elle désemparait Elle désemparait ses parents. She disconcerted her parents.
on désemparait On désemparait les invités. We disconcerted the guests.
nous désemparions Nous désemparions devant l’événement. We were at a loss in front of the event.
vous désempariez Vous désempariez facilement. You were easily disconcerted.
ils désemparaient Ils désemparaient leurs adversaires. They disconcerted their opponents.
elles désemparaient Elles désemparaient leurs professeurs. They disconcerted their teachers.

Other Conjugations for Désemparer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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