Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désenvelopper

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désenvelopper

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The English translation of the French verb “désenvelopper” is “to unwrap” or “to unpackage.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “désenvelopper” is: day-zuhn-loh-vay.

The verb “désenvelopper” is formed by adding the prefix “dés-” (which indicates the reversal of an action) to the verb “envelopper” (to wrap). It is often used in everyday French to describe the action of unwrapping or unboxing something.

In the imparfait tense, which is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, “désenvelopper” can be used to talk about a habitual or continuous action of unwrapping. Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque matin, je désenveloppais les cadeaux de Noël. (Every morning, I used to unwrap the Christmas presents.)
  2. Quand j’étais enfant, nous désenveloppions les bonbons lentement pour prolonger le plaisir. (When I was a child, we used to unwrap candies slowly to prolong the enjoyment.)
  3. Ils désenveloppaient les colis avec impatience, espérant y trouver leur commande. (They were unwrapping the packages eagerly, hoping to find their order.)

In these examples, the verb “désenvelopper” is used to describe repeated or habitual actions of unwrapping, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the action in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of désenvelopper

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je désenveloppais Je désenveloppais le cadeau. I was unwrapping the gift.
tu désenveloppais Tu désenveloppais le colis. You were unwrapping the package.
il désenveloppait Il désenveloppait la lettre. He was unwrapping the letter.
elle désenveloppait Elle désenveloppait le paquet. She was unwrapping the parcel.
on désenveloppait On désenveloppait les cadeaux. We were unwrapping the gifts.
nous désenveloppions Nous désenveloppions les enveloppes. We were unwrapping the envelopes.
vous désenveloppiez Vous désenveloppiez les colis. You were unwrapping the packages.
ils désenveloppaient Ils désenveloppaient les paquets. They were unwrapping the packages.
elles désenveloppaient Elles désenveloppaient les lettres. They were unwrapping the letters.

Other Conjugations for Désenvelopper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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