Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désobliger

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désobliger

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of désobliger. 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 désobliger is “to offend” or “to displease.” The infinitive form, désobliger, is pronounced as “day-zob-lee-zhey.”

Désobliger comes from the Old French word “sobliger,” which means “to bind” or “to oblige.” The prefix “dés-” adds a negative connotation to the verb, resulting in the meaning of “to offend” or “to displease” in modern French.

In everyday French, the verb désobliger is often used in the imparfait tense to describe actions or situations in the past that were displeasing or offensive. It emphasizes the ongoing or repeated nature of the action. It can also be used to express a hypothetical situation that was not pleasing.

Here are three examples of désobliger in the imparfait tense along with their English translations:

  1. Elle me désobligeait en critiquant toujours mes vêtements.
    (She used to offend me by constantly criticizing my clothes.)
  2. Ils se désobligeaient mutuellement en se lançant des insultes.
    (They used to offend each other by hurling insults.)
  3. Tu désobligeais tout le monde en arrivant toujours en retard.
    (You used to displease everyone by always arriving late.)

Note: Please keep in mind that désobliger is not a commonly used verb in everyday French. It may sound formal or old-fashioned in certain contexts.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of désobliger

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je désobligeais Je désobligeais mes amis. I was offending my friends.
tu désobligeais Tu désobligeais tes parents. You were disrespecting your parents.
il désobligeait Il désobligeait ses collègues. He was offending his colleagues.
elle désobligeait Elle désobligeait son professeur. She was disrespecting her teacher.
on désobligeait On désobligeait les invités. We were offending the guests.
nous désobligeions Nous désobligeions nos voisins. We were disrespecting our neighbors.
vous désobligiez Vous désobligiez vos clients. You were offending your clients.
ils désobligeaient Ils désobligeaient leurs partenaires. They were disrespecting their partners.
elles désobligeaient Elles désobligeaient leurs amis. They were offending their friends.

Other Conjugations for Désobliger.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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