Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb diaboliser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb diaboliser

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of diaboliser. 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 “diaboliser” is “to demonize.” The infinitive form “diaboliser” is pronounced as “dee-ah-bo-lee-zay.”

The verb “diaboliser” comes from the noun “diable” meaning “devil” and the suffix “-iser” which indicates the action of making something devilish or demonic. In everyday French, “diaboliser” is most often used in the imparfait tense to describe the act of portraying someone or something as evil, often with the intention of discrediting them or stirring negative emotions. It is commonly used in political, social, or media contexts.

Here are three simple examples of “diaboliser” used in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Les médias diabolisaient constamment le politicien, ce qui a influencé négativement les électeurs.
    (The media were constantly demonizing the politician, which negatively influenced the voters.)

  2. Certains groupes utilisent des discours populistes pour diaboliser les immigrants, créant ainsi une division dans la société.
    (Some groups use populist speeches to demonize immigrants, thus creating division in society.)

  3. Pendant la campagne électorale, les candidats avaient l’habitude de diaboliser leurs adversaires pour gagner des voix.
    (During the election campaign, candidates used to demonize their opponents to gain votes.)

Please note that the translations provided are not literal but convey the general meaning of the sentences.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of diaboliser

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je diabolisais Je diabolisais tout le monde. I was demonizing everyone.
tu diabolisais Tu diabolisais les choses. You were demonizing things.
il diabolisait Il diabolisait le livre. He was demonizing the book.
elle diabolisait Elle diabolisait son travail. She was demonizing her work.
on diabolisait On diabolisait la situation. We were demonizing the situation.
nous diabolisions Nous diabolisions les idées. We were demonizing the ideas.
vous diabolisiez Vous diabolisiez les gens. You were demonizing people.
ils diabolisaient Ils diabolisaient les religions. They were demonizing religions.
elles diabolisaient Elles diabolisaient les hommes. They were demonizing men.

Other Conjugations for Diaboliser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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