Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désespérer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désespérer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of désespérer. 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 “désespérer” is “to despair”. The pronunciation of the infinitive form “désespérer” is as follows: [day-zeh-speh-ray].

The word “désespérer” has its origins in the Latin word “desperare”, meaning “to lose hope”. In everyday French, it is commonly used in the imparfait tense to express ongoing or repeated despair in the past.

Here are three examples of the usage of “désespérer” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je désespérais de trouver un emploi. (I was despairing about finding a job.)
  2. Tu désespérais de le voir arriver. (You were despairing about seeing him arrive.)
  3. Nous désespérions de gagner le match. (We were despairing about winning the game.)

These examples demonstrate the use of “désespérer” in the imparfait tense to express a continuous state of despair in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of désespérer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je désespérais Je désespérais de trouver une solution. I was despairing of finding a solution.
tu désespérais Tu désespérais devant la situation. You were despairing in front of the situation.
il désespérait Il désespérait de réussir. He was despairing of succeeding.
elle désespérait Elle désespérait de le voir partir. She was despairing to see him leave.
on désespérait On désespérait de trouver une issue. We were despairing of finding a way out.
nous désespérions Nous désespérions face à l’adversité. We were despairing in the face of adversity.
vous désespériez Vous désespériez de le convaincre. You were despairing of convincing him.
ils désespéraient Ils désespéraient de retrouver leur chemin. They were despairing of finding their way back.
elles désespéraient Elles désespéraient de recevoir des nouvelles. They were despairing of receiving news.

Other Conjugations for Désespérer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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