Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb en tirer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb en tirer

Get the imperfect (imparfait) tense conjugation of en tirer. 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 “en tirer” is “to draw from it” or “to derive from it.” The infinitive form of “en tirer” is pronounced as [ɑ̃ ti.ʁe].

“En tirer” is derived from the verb “tirer,” which means “to pull” or “to draw.” The addition of the preposition “en” modifies the meaning of the verb and indicates that one is drawing or deriving something from another thing.

In everyday French, “en tirer” is frequently used in the imparfait tense to express actions or states that were ongoing, repeated, or habitual in the past. It is commonly used when talking about deriving something from a situation, an experience, or an object.

Here are three simple examples of “en tirer” used in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Nous en tirions beaucoup de plaisir.
    (We used to derive a lot of pleasure from it.)
  2. Elle en tirait une leçon chaque jour.
    (She used to draw a lesson from it every day.)
  3. Ils en tiraient des bénéfices considérables.
    (They used to derive significant benefits from it.)

In these examples, the imparfait tense suggests that the actions of deriving or drawing from something were ongoing or habitual in the past.

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of en tirer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je en tirais J’en tirais du plaisir. I drew pleasure from it.
tu en tirais Tu en tirais des leçons. You drew lessons from it.
il en tirait Il en tirait une conclusion. He drew a conclusion from it.
elle en tirait Elle en tirait du bonheur. She drew happiness from it.
on en tirait On en tirait des bénéfices. We drew benefits from it.
nous en tirions Nous en tirions satisfaction. We drew satisfaction from it.
vous en tiriez Vous en tiriez profit. You drew profit from it.
ils en tiraient Ils en tiraient avantage. They drew advantage from it.
elles en tiraient Elles en tiraient du plaisir. They drew pleasure from it.

Other Conjugations for En Tirer.

Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb en tirer

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

Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb en tirer

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

Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb en tirer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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En Tirer – 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 en tirer. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!

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