Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dissimuler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dissimuler

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dissimuler. 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 dissimuler is “to conceal” or “to hide.” The infinitive form “dissimuler” is pronounced as “dee-see-mew-lay.”

Dissimuler originates from the Latin term “dissimulare,” which means “to dissimulate” or “to conceal.” In everyday French, the verb is commonly used in the imparfait tense, which denotes an ongoing or habitual action in the past.

Here are three examples of dissimuler in the imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Je dissimulais ma tristesse. (I used to conceal my sadness.)
  2. Tu dissimulais ton énervement. (You used to hide your irritation.)
  3. Il dissimulait ses intentions. (He would conceal his intentions.)

In these examples, dissimuler is used to describe actions that were repeatedly or habitually performed in the past, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the concealment or hiding.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dissimuler

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je dissimulais Je dissimulais ma tristesse. I was hiding my sadness.
tu dissimulais Tu dissimulais ta surprise. You were hiding your surprise.
il dissimulait Il dissimulait ses intentions. He was hiding his intentions.
elle dissimulait Elle dissimulait son inquiétude. She was hiding her worry.
on dissimulait On dissimulait la vérité. We were hiding the truth.
nous dissimulions Nous dissimulions nos émotions. We were hiding our emotions.
vous dissimuliez Vous dissimuliez votre colère. You were hiding your anger.
ils dissimulaient Ils dissimulaient leur peur. They were hiding their fear.
elles dissimulaient Elles dissimulaient leur déception. They were hiding their disappointment.

Other Conjugations for Dissimuler.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the dissimuler imparfait tense conjugation! 

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply