Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dracher

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dracher

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of dracher. 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 “dracher” is “to pour down” or “to rain heavily.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form “dracher” is [dʁa.ʃe].

The verb “dracher” originated from the Old French word “drachier,” which meant “to rain heavily.” It comes from the Latin word “draccho” or “draco,” which meant “to pour” or “to run.” In everyday French, “dracher” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe past continuous actions or ongoing events in the past.

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

  1. Quand j’étais enfant, il drachait souvent le dimanche. (When I was a child, it used to pour down on Sundays.)
  2. Nous marchions sous nos parapluies pendant qu’il drachait. (We were walking under our umbrellas while it was raining heavily.)
  3. Pendant nos vacances en Bretagne, il drachait presque tous les jours. (During our vacation in Brittany, it was pouring down nearly every day.)

Note: The translations provided are not literal, but rather convey the intended meaning in English.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of dracher

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je drachais Je drachais toute la journée. I was raining all day.
tu drachais Tu drachais souvent à cette époque. You were raining often at that time.
il drachait Il drachait depuis des heures. He was raining for hours.
elle drachait Elle drachait sans s’arrêter. She was raining non-stop.
on drachait On drachait pendant la soirée. We were raining during the evening.
nous drachions Nous drachions beaucoup en automne. We were raining a lot in autumn.
vous drachiez Vous drachiez rarement en été. You were rarely raining in summer.
ils drachaient Ils drachaient dans le jardin. They were raining in the garden.
elles drachaient Elles drachaient partout. They were raining everywhere.

Other Conjugations for Dracher.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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