Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désencrer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désencrer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of désencrer. 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 “désencrer” is “to uncrust” or “to remove encrusted material.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “désencrer” is [dey-zahn-krey].

Language origin and everyday usage:
The verb “désencrer” is derived from the prefix “dés-” (indicating reversal) and the word “encrer” (to become crusted or covered with a hard substance). It is often used to describe the action of removing something that has become encrusted or stuck.

In everyday French, “désencrer” is frequently used in the imparfait tense, which denotes ongoing, habitual, or repeated actions in the past. It describes a continuous action or state in the past without a specific beginning or end.

Three examples of “désencrer” in the imparfait tense:

  1. Chaque soir, je désenclais les vieilles canalisations. (Every evening, I used to uncrust the old pipes.)
  2. Nous désenrions les rouages grippés pour les faire fonctionner correctement. (We would uncrust the seized gears to make them work properly.)
  3. Tu désencrais les vieilles casserole à force de frotter. (You were uncrusting the old pots by scrubbing them.)

English translations:

  1. Every evening, I used to uncrust the old pipes.
  2. We would uncrust the seized gears to make them work properly.
  3. You were uncrusting the old pots by scrubbing them.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of désencrer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je désencreais Je désencreais la feuille. I was erasing the ink from the paper.
tu désencreais Tu désencreais le document. You were erasing the ink from the document.
il désencreait Il désencreait la page. He was erasing the ink from the page.
elle désencreait Elle désencreait la carte. She was erasing the ink from the map.
on désencreait On désencreait le livre. We were erasing the ink from the book.
nous désencreions Nous désencreions les papiers. We were erasing the ink from the papers.
vous désencreiez Vous désencreiez le tableau. You were erasing the ink from the board.
ils désencreaient Ils désencreaient les photos. They were erasing the ink from the photos.
elles désencreaient Elles désencreaient les illustrations. They were erasing the ink from the illustrations.

Other Conjugations for Désencrer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the désencrer imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply