Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désenchanter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désenchanter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of désenchanter. 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 “désenchanter” is “to disillusion” or “to disenchant.” The infinitive form “désenchanter” is pronounced as dey-zahn-shahn-tey.

“Désenchanter” is derived from the combination of the prefix “dés-” (which means “dis-” or “un-“) and the verb “enchanter” (to enchant). It is used to express the action of losing one’s illusions or being disappointed.

In everyday French, the verb “désenchanter” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated disillusionment in the past. It often portrays a sense of continuous or habitual disappointment.

Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Je désenchantais facilement. (I used to get easily disillusioned.)
  2. Tu désenchantais peu à peu. (You were gradually becoming disillusioned.)
  3. Il/Elle désenchantait devant la réalité. (He/She would become disillusioned in the face of reality.)

Please note that the English translations provided are not literal but aim to convey the meaning and usage of the verb “désenchanter” in the imparfait tense.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of désenchanter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je désenchantais Je désenchantais facilement. I used to disillusion easily.
tu désenchantais Tu désenchantais les gens. You used to disillusion people.
il désenchantait Il désenchantait les esprits. He used to disillusion minds.
elle désenchantait Elle désenchantait les cœurs. She used to disillusion hearts.
on désenchantait On désenchantait tout le monde. We used to disillusion everyone.
nous désenchantions Nous désenchantions la réalité. We used to disillusion reality.
vous désenchantiez Vous désenchantiez les illusions. You used to disillusion illusions.
ils désenchaient Ils désenchaient les rêves. They used to disillusion dreams.
elles désenchaient Elles désenchaient les illusions. They used to disillusion illusions.

Other Conjugations for Désenchanter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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