How to Conjugate "Débarrasser" (to Clear, to Rid of)

In French, the verb débarrasser means "to clear" or "to rid (someone or something) of." When you want to say the past tense of "got rid of" or the present tense of "clearing," then a verb conjugation is required. A quick French lesson will explain exactly how that's done.

Conjugating the French Verb Débarrasser

Débarrasser is a regular -ER verb and it follows the most common verb conjugation pattern found in the French language. The infinitive endings added to the verb stem débarrass- are the same you will use for words like débarquer (to land), attraper (to catch), and many others. That makes learning each just a little easier.

To transform débarrasser to the present, future, or imperfect past tense, find the appropriate subject pronoun in the table. This will guide you to the appropriate verb to use in your sentence. For instance, "I clear" is "je débarrasse" and "we will clear" is "nous débarrasserons."

This is all quite simple when you take the time to study the conjugations. The endings are not difficult, but the length of this word may be the most challenging part of the lesson.

The Present Participle of Débarrasser

The present participle of débarrasser is formed by adding -ant to the verb stem. This creates the verb débarrassant, which can also act as an adjective, gerund, or even a noun in some circumstances.

A Past Tense Form of Débarrasser

The imperfect past tense is not your only option for expressing "I got rid of" in French. You can also use the passé composé. To do so, you must conjugate the auxiliary verb avoir according to the subject pronoun used, then add the past participle débarrassé.

For example, "I got rid of" is "j'ai débarrassé" and "we got rid of" is "nous avons débarrassé." Remember that this can also work for a translation of "have cleared."

More Simple Débarrasser Conjugations to Know

There may also be times when you will need one of the following forms of débarrasser.

The subjunctive verb mood is used when the action is uncertain -- did you really clear it? -- for example. Similarly, the conditional verb mood implies that the action will only happen if something else does. 

Primarily found in literature and formal writing, you may not need to use the passé simple nor the imperfect subjunctive. However, you should be able to recognize and associate these with débarrasser

The imperative verb form is often used in exclamations and short, direct commands or requests. When using this one, skip the subject pronoun: simplify "tu débarrasse" to "débarrasse."