Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détartrer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb détartrer

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The English translation of the French verb “détartrer” is “to descale” or “to remove limescale.” The infinitive form “détartrer” is pronounced as day-tar-tray.

The word “détartrer” is derived from the combination of “dé-” (a prefix indicating reversal or removal) and “tartrer” (meaning “to encrust with tartar”). It is primarily used to describe the action of removing limescale or tartar buildup from various surfaces, such as kettles, coffee machines, or pipes.

In the imparfait tense, which is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, “détartrer” can be used in everyday French to talk about repeated descaling actions. Here are three examples:

  1. Chaque semaine, nous détartrions la bouilloire pour enlever le calcaire. (Every week, we used to descale the kettle to remove limescale.)

  2. Quand j’étais jeune, je détartrais régulièrement la cafetière de ma grand-mère. (When I was young, I would regularly descale my grandmother’s coffee machine.)

  3. Les plombiers détartraient les canalisations anciennes pour éviter les obstructions. (Plumbers used to descale old pipes to prevent blockages.)

English Translations:

  1. Every week, we used to descale the kettle to remove limescale.
  2. When I was young, I would regularly descale my grandmother’s coffee machine.
  3. Plumbers used to descale old pipes to prevent blockages.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of détartrer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je détartrais Je détartrais la cafetière. I would descale the coffee maker.
tu détartrais Tu détartrais tes dents. You would descale your teeth.
il détartrait Il détartrait la bouilloire. He would descale the kettle.
elle détartrait Elle détartrait la machine à laver. She would descale the washing machine.
on détartrait On détartrait les canalisations. We would descale the pipes.
nous détartrions Nous détartrions la robinetterie. We would descale the faucets.
vous détartriez Vous détartriez la douche. You would descale the shower.
ils détartraient Ils détartraient les toilettes. They would descale the toilets.
elles détartraient Elles détartraient les bouteilles. They would descale the bottles.

Other Conjugations for Détartrer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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