Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dévolter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dévolter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dévolter. 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 “dévolter” is “to revolt” or “to rebel”. The infinitive form “dévolter” is pronounced as [de-vo(l)-te].

The verb “dévolter” is derived from the noun “volte” which means “rebellion” or “uprising”. It belongs to the first group of regular -er verbs in French. In everyday French, it is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of the usage of “dévolter” in the imparfait tense along with their English translations:

  1. Quand j’étais jeune, je me dévoltais souvent contre les règles de l’école.
    (When I was young, I used to rebel against the school rules.)

  2. Les étudiants se dévoltaient régulièrement pendant les années 1960.
    (The students were rebelling regularly during the 1960s.)

  3. Nous nous dévoltions tous les jours contre le système oppressif.
    (We used to rebel every day against the oppressive system.)

Note: The imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past and is typically translated into English as “used to” or “was/were + verb+ing”.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dévolter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dévoltais Je dévoltais facilement. I used to revolt easily.
tu dévoltais Tu dévoltais contre l’autorité. You used to revolt against authority.
il dévoltait Il dévoltait souvent. He used to revolt often.
elle dévoltait Elle dévoltait pour la justice. She used to revolt for justice.
on dévoltait On dévoltait en silence. We used to revolt in silence.
nous dévoltions Nous dévoltions pour nos droits. We used to revolt for our rights.
vous dévoltiez Vous dévoltiez avec passion. You used to revolt with passion.
ils dévoltaient Ils dévoltaient ensemble. They used to revolt together.
elles dévoltaient Elles dévoltaient contre l’injustice. They used to revolt against injustice.

Other Conjugations for Dévolter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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