Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dévaster

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dévaster

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The English translation of the French verb “dévaster” is “to devastate” or “to ravage.” The infinitive form “dévaster” is pronounced as [de-vas-te].

The word “dévaster” originates from the Latin word “devastare,” which means “to lay waste.” In everyday French, “dévaster” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It is often used to express the idea of causing extensive damage or destruction.

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

  1. Pendant la guerre, les bombardements dévastaient la ville.
    (During the war, the bombings devastated the city.)

  2. Les inondations dévastaient régulièrement les terres agricoles.
    (The floods were regularly devastating the farmlands.)

  3. L’ouragan dévastait la côte depuis plusieurs jours.
    (The hurricane had been devastating the coast for several days.)

These examples illustrate how “dévaster” in the imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing actions in the past, emphasizing the destructive nature of the events.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dévaster

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dévastais Je dévastais la ville. I was devastating the city.
tu dévastais Tu dévastais la forêt. You were devastating the forest.
il dévastait Il dévastait la maison. He was devastating the house.
elle dévastait Elle dévastait les champs. She was devastating the fields.
on dévastait On dévastait les villages. We were devastating the villages.
nous dévastions Nous dévastions les récoltes. We were devastating the crops.
vous dévastiez Vous dévastiez les jardins. You were devastating the gardens.
ils dévastaient Ils dévastaient les usines. They were devastating the factories.
elles dévastaient Elles dévastaient les rues. They were devastating the streets.

Other Conjugations for Dévaster.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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