Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détroncher

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb détroncher

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of détroncher. 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 détroncher is “to uncork” or “to remove a cork.” The infinitive form, détroncher, is pronounced as “day-tron-shay.”

Détroncher comes from the combination of the prefix dé- (indicating reversal or removal) and the verb troncher (meaning “to cut” or “to chop”). It is primarily used in the context of wine to describe the action of removing the cork from a bottle.

In the imparfait tense, détroncher is used to talk about ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in the imparfait tense:

  1. Chaque soir, je détronchais une bouteille de vin rouge. (Every evening, I would uncork a bottle of red wine.)
  2. Quand nous étions en vacances, nous détronchions souvent une bouteille de champagne. (When we were on vacation, we would often uncork a bottle of champagne.)
  3. Elle détronchait les bouteilles avec habileté. (She would uncork the bottles with skill.)

These examples showcase the use of détroncher in the imparfait tense to describe repeated or habitual actions in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of détroncher

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je détronchais Je détronchais l’arbre. I was cutting down the tree.
tu détronchais Tu détronchais les branches. You were cutting off the branches.
il détronchait Il détronchait les arbres. He was cutting down the trees.
elle détronchait Elle détronchait les troncs. She was cutting off the trunks.
on détronchait On détronchait les arbustes. We were cutting down the shrubs.
nous détronchions Nous détronchions les plantes. We were cutting off the plants.
vous détronchiez Vous détronchiez les haies. You were cutting down the hedges.
ils détronchaient Ils détronchaient les branches. They were cutting off the branches.
elles détronchaient Elles détronchaient les arbres. They were cutting down the trees.

Other Conjugations for Détroncher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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