Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb distribuer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb distribuer

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The English translation of the French verb “distribuer” is “to distribute.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “distribuer” in French is: /dis.tʁi.bɥe/.

The verb “distribuer” comes from the Latin word “distribuere,” which means “to divide into parts” or “to spread.” In everyday French, “distribuer” is commonly used to express actions related to distributing or sharing something among people.

Examples of using “distribuer” in the imperfect tense:

  1. Chaque matin, je distribuais le courrier aux employés. (Every morning, I used to distribute the mail to the employees.)
  2. Nous distribuions des flyers dans la rue pour promouvoir l’événement. (We were distributing flyers in the street to promote the event.)
  3. Pendant la fête, il distribuait des cadeaux aux enfants. (During the party, he was handing out gifts to the children.)

English translations:

  1. Every morning, I used to distribute the mail to the employees.
  2. We were distributing flyers in the street to promote the event.
  3. During the party, he was handing out gifts to the children.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of distribuer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je distribuais Je distribuais des flyers. I was distributing flyers.
tu distribuais Tu distribuais des cadeaux. You were distributing gifts.
il distribuait Il distribuait des journaux. He was distributing newspapers.
elle distribuait Elle distribuait des invitations. She was distributing invitations.
on distribuait On distribuait des prospectus. We were distributing leaflets.
nous distribuions Nous distribuions des brochures. We were distributing brochures.
vous distribuiez Vous distribuiez des dépliants. You were distributing pamphlets.
ils distribuaient Ils distribuaient des tracts. They were distributing flyers.
elles distribuaient Elles distribuaient des cartes. They were distributing cards.

Other Conjugations for Distribuer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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