Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb duveter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb duveter

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of duveter. 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 “duveter” is “to fluff.” The infinitive form “duveter” is pronounced as “due-vay-tay.”

The verb “duveter” comes from the combination of the prefix “du-” and the verb “vêtir” (to dress). It originates from the Old French term “devestir” meaning “to undress” or “to remove clothing.” Over time, it evolved to mean “to fluff” or “to shake out.”

In everyday French, “duveter” is commonly used in the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Here are three simple examples:

  1. Chaque matin, je duvettais les oreillers. (Every morning, I would fluff the pillows.)
  2. Quand j’étais enfant, ma grand-mère duvetait les couettes avant de nous coucher. (When I was a child, my grandmother would fluff the comforters before putting us to bed.)
  3. Pendant l’hiver, nous duvétions les couvertures pour les rendre plus chaudes. (During winter, we would fluff the blankets to make them warmer.)

English translations:

  1. Every morning, I would fluff the pillows.
  2. When I was a child, my grandmother would fluff the comforters before putting us to bed.
  3. During winter, we would fluff the blankets to make them warmer.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of duveter

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je duvetais Je duvetais mes vêtements. I was fluffing my clothes.
tu duvetais Tu duvetais ton oreiller. You were fluffing your pillow.
il duvetait Il duvetait son manteau. He was fluffing his coat.
elle duvetait Elle duvetait sa couverture. She was fluffing her blanket.
on duvetait On duvetait les coussins. We were fluffing the cushions.
nous duvetions Nous duvetions nos pulls. We were fluffing our sweaters.
vous duvetiez Vous duvetiez les tapis. You were fluffing the carpets.
ils duvetaient Ils duvetaient leurs écharpes. They were fluffing their scarves.
elles duvetaient Elles duvetaient leurs coussins. They were fluffing their pillows.

Other Conjugations for Duveter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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