Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb disposer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb disposer

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The English translation of the French verb “disposer” is “to dispose” or “to arrange.” The infinitive form “disposer” is pronounced as “dee-poh-zay.”

The verb “disposer” originated from the Latin word “disponere,” meaning “to arrange” or “to distribute.” In everyday French, “disposer” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to express the idea of arranging or setting up things in the past, or to indicate a habitual action in the past.

Here are three examples of “disposer” in the imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Chaque soir, elle disposait les fleurs dans un vase. (Every evening, she would arrange the flowers in a vase.)
  2. Nous disposions les tables et les chaises pour la fête. (We would set up the tables and chairs for the party.)
  3. Tu disposais toujours ton bureau avant de commencer à travailler. (You would always arrange your desk before starting to work.)

In these examples, “disposer” is used to describe the repeated action of arranging or setting up things in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of disposer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je disposais Je disposais mes affaires. I was arranging my things.
tu disposais Tu disposais les fleurs. You were arranging the flowers.
il disposait Il disposait les meubles. He was arranging the furniture.
elle disposait Elle disposait la table. She was arranging the table.
on disposait On disposait des chaises. We were arranging the chairs.
nous disposions Nous disposions les livres. We were arranging the books.
vous disposiez Vous disposiez les décorations. You were arranging the decorations.
ils disposaient Ils disposaient les assiettes. They were arranging the plates.
elles disposaient Elles disposaient les couverts. They were arranging the silverware.

Other Conjugations for Disposer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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