Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Introduction to the verb discerner
The English translation of the French verb “discerner” is “to discern.” The infinitive form “discerner” is pronounced as “dee-ser-ney.”
The word “discerner” originated from the Latin word “discernere,” which means “to separate” or “to distinguish.” In everyday French, “discerner” is most often used in the imparfait tense, which indicates an ongoing or repetitive action in the past. It is commonly used to describe the act of perceiving or distinguishing something.
Here are three simple examples of “discerner” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:
- Je discernais les détails de la peinture. (I was discerning/distinguishing the details of the painting.)
- Nous discernions les différentes saveurs du vin. (We were discerning/distinguishing the different flavors of the wine.)
- Ils discernaient difficilement les formes dans le brouillard. (They were discerning/distinguishing the shapes in the fog with difficulty.)
Please note that the English translations are not literal, as they may vary depending on the context.
Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of discerner
Pronoun | Conjugation | Short Example | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
je | discernais | Je discernais la vérité. | I was discerning the truth. |
tu | discernais | Tu discernais son intention. | You were discerning his intention. |
il | discernait | Il discernait les détails. | He was discerning the details. |
elle | discernait | Elle discernait les nuances. | She was discerning the nuances. |
on | discernait | On discernait les motifs. | We were discerning the patterns. |
nous | discernions | Nous discernions les différences. | We were discerning the differences. |
vous | discerniez | Vous discerniez les choix. | You were discerning the choices. |
ils | discernaient | Ils discernaient les mensonges. | They were discerning the lies. |
elles | discernaient | Elles discernaient la vérité. | They were discerning the truth. |
Other Conjugations for Discerner.
Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner (You’re reading it right now!)
Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb discerner
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Discerner – About the French Imparfait Tense
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
For regular -er verbs:
For regular -ir verbs
For regular -re verbs
Common Everyday Usage Patterns
Description of Past Habits
Background Information
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
Points to Note About the Imparfait Tense
Passé Composé vs. Imparfait
Conditional
Si Clauses
Narration
I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb discerner. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!