Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb diplômer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb diplômer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of diplômer. 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 “diplômer” is “to award a diploma” or “to graduate.” The infinitive form “diplômer” is pronounced as “dee-ploh-may.”

The verb “diplômer” is derived from the French noun “diplôme,” which ultimately originates from the Greek word “diploma” meaning “folded paper.” In everyday French, “diplômer” is used to indicate the action of officially granting or conferring a diploma or degree upon someone who has completed their studies.

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

  1. Je diplômais mes étudiants chaque année.
    (I used to award diplomas to my students every year.)

  2. Tu diplômais ton fils avec fierté.
    (You used to graduate your son with pride.)

  3. Il diplômait ses élèves avec distinction.
    (He used to graduate his students with distinction.)

Please note that the imparfait tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, and the examples provided reflect this usage.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of diplômer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je diplômais Je diplômais mes étudiants. I was awarding diplomas to my students.
tu diplômais Tu diplômais tes élèves. You were awarding diplomas to your students.
il diplômait Il diplômait ses employés. He was awarding diplomas to his employees.
elle diplômait Elle diplômait ses apprentis. She was awarding diplomas to her apprentices.
on diplômait On diplômait les candidats. We were awarding diplomas to the candidates.
nous diplômions Nous diplômions nos étudiants. We were awarding diplomas to our students.
vous diplômiez Vous diplômiez les diplômés. You were awarding diplomas to the graduates.
ils diplômaient Ils diplômaient leurs élèves. They were awarding diplomas to their students.
elles diplômaient Elles diplômaient leurs apprentis. They were awarding diplomas to their apprentices.

Other Conjugations for Diplômer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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