déroulait

Déroulait is the imperfect indicative form of the French verb dérouler, or of the pronominal form se dérouler in constructions describing ongoing past action or habitual situations. In the transitive sense, dérouler means to unroll, unwind, or lay out something that is rolled or folded. In the intransitive sense, se dérouler means to occur, to unfold, or to develop over time, such as events or a sequence of actions.

The verb derives from the prefix de- plus rouler (to roll). The imperfect form déroulait reflects ongoing or repeated action in the past, for example when describing a scene or a routine in narrative prose. In modern usage, both senses are common: one can talk about physically unrolling an object, or about how a process or event unfolded.

Usage notes emphasize the distinction between the transitive and intransitive senses. Grammatical forms differ in compound tenses: the transitive dérouler takes avoir in the passé composé (il a déroulé le tapis), while le verbe pronominal se dérouler uses être (la cérémonie s’est déroulée). The imperfect remains versatile for setting scenes, describing background actions, or conveying duration in the past.

Common examples illustrate the range of meanings. Il déroulait le tapis sur le sol. (He was unrolling the carpet on the floor.) La cérémonie se déroulait sans incident. (The ceremony was taking place without incident.) Le récit déroulait les aventures des héros, montrant leur progression étape par étape. (The narrative unfolded the heroes’ adventures.) These forms are standard in written and spoken French and are widely understood across registers.