Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Introduction to the verb détourner
The English translation of the French verb “détourner” is “to divert” or “to turn away.” The infinitive form “détourner” is pronounced as /de.tuʁ.ne/.
The verb “détourner” comes from the Latin word “detornare,” which means “to turn aside.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.
Examples of “détourner” in the imparfait tense:
-
Chaque fois qu’il pleuvait, nous détour n ions notre itinéraire pour éviter les embouteillages.
(Every time it rained, we would divert our route to avoid traffic jams.) -
Quand j’étais enfant, je détour n ais mon regard lorsque mes parents se disputaient.
(When I was a child, I would avert my gaze when my parents argued.) -
Les étudiants détour naient leur attention en classe en regardant par la fenêtre.
(The students used to divert their attention in class by looking out the window.)
English translations:
- Every time it rained, we would divert our route to avoid traffic jams.
- When I was a child, I would avert my gaze when my parents argued.
- The students used to divert their attention in class by looking out the window.
Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of détourner
Pronoun | Conjugation | Short Example | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
je | détournais | Je détournais le regard. | I was looking away. |
tu | détournais | Tu détournais les yeux. | You were averting your eyes. |
il | détournait | Il détournait l’attention. | He was diverting the attention. |
elle | détournait | Elle détournait le sujet. | She was changing the subject. |
on | détournait | On détournait les fonds. | We were embezzling the funds. |
nous | détournions | Nous détournions les ressources. | We were misusing the resources. |
vous | détourniez | Vous détourniez les regards. | You were avoiding eye contact. |
ils | détournaient | Ils détournaient l’argent. | They were diverting the money. |
elles | détournaient | Elles détournaient l’objet. | They were misplacing the object. |
Other Conjugations for Détourner.
Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner (You’re reading it right now!)
Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
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Détourner – About the French Imparfait Tense
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
For regular -er verbs:
For regular -ir verbs
For regular -re verbs
Common Everyday Usage Patterns
Description of Past Habits
Background Information
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
Points to Note About the Imparfait Tense
Passé Composé vs. Imparfait
Conditional
Si Clauses
Narration
I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb détourner. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!