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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb abdiquer

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The English translation of the French verb “abdiquer” is “to abdicate.” The infinitive form “abdiquer” is pronounced as ahb-dee-kay.

The verb “abdiquer” originated from the Latin word “abdico,” meaning “to renounce.” In everyday French, “abdiquer” is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is commonly used in formal or legal contexts when referring to a monarch or ruler voluntarily giving up their throne.

Here are three examples of “abdiquer” in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que le roi abdiquât pour préserver la paix.
    (It was necessary for the king to abdicate in order to preserve peace.)

  2. J’aurais aimé qu’il n’abdiquât pas si rapidement.
    (I would have liked it if he hadn’t abdicated so quickly.)

  3. Le peuple ne voulait pas que la reine abdiquât ses responsabilités.
    (The people didn’t want the queen to abdicate her responsibilities.)

Table of the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of abdiquer

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je abdiquasse Si j’étais roi, je abdiquasse mon pouvoir. If I were king, I would abdicate my power.
tu abdiquasses Si tu étais président, tu abdiquasses ta responsabilité. If you were president, you would abdicate your responsibility.
il abdiquât Il serait faible s’il abdiquât devant les difficultés. He would be weak if he abdicated in the face of difficulties.
elle abdiquât Elle serait déçue si elle abdiquât ses ambitions. She would be disappointed if she abdicated her ambitions.
on abdiquât Si on abdiquât devant les obstacles, on n’atteindrait jamais nos objectifs. If one abdicated in the face of obstacles, one would never achieve our goals.
nous abdiquassions Si nous abdiquassions nos rêves, nous regretterions. If we abdicated our dreams, we would regret it.
vous abdiquassiez Si vous abdiquassiez votre autorité, vous perdriez le respect. If you abdicated your authority, you would lose respect.
ils abdiquassent S’ils abdiquassent leur pouvoir, le pays serait en chaos. If they abdicated their power, the country would be in chaos.
elles abdiquassent Si elles abdiquassent leur responsabilité, rien ne serait accompli. If they abdicated their responsibility, nothing would be achieved.

Other Conjugations for Abdiquer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb abdiquer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb abdiquer (this article)

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

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

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

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

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

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Abdiquer – About the French Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense

The French Subjonctif Imparfait, also known as the imperfect subjunctive, is a verb tense used to express actions, states, or conditions that are uncertain, subjective, or hypothetical in the past. It is used in a variety of situations, including wishes, doubts, emotions, and polite requests, and often occurs in dependent clauses following certain expressions and conjunctions.

NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see my article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation

To form the Subjonctif Imparfait, you typically start with the third person plural (ils/elles) form of the verb in the imparfait (imperfect) tense. Then, you remove the -ent ending and add the appropriate endings:

– For regular -er verbs: je -sse, tu -sses, il/elle/on -t, nous -ssions, vous -ssiez, ils/elles -ssent.
– For regular -ir and -re verbs: je -sse, tu -sses, il/elle/on -t, nous -ssions, vous -ssiez, ils/elles -ssent.

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

1. Expressing Doubt or Uncertainty: The Subjonctif Imparfait is used to express doubt or uncertainty about something that happened in the past.

Example: Il doutait qu’elle vînt à la fête. (He doubted that she came to the party.)

2. Wishes and Desires: It is used to express wishes or desires in the past.

Example: J’aurais aimé que tu fusses là. (I would have liked you to be there.)

3. Hypothetical Scenarios: The Subjonctif Imparfait is employed in hypothetical situations in the past.

Example: Si j’eusse su, j’aurais agi différemment. (If I had known, I would have acted differently.)
4. Polite Requests and Suggestions: It is used to make polite requests and suggestions in a formal or polite tone.

Example: Il souhaitait que vous vinssiez lui rendre visite. (He wished that you would come to visit him.)

Interactions with Other Tenses

Subjonctif Présent

The Subjonctif Imparfait is often used in dependent clauses with the Subjonctif Présent in the main clause, especially in complex sentences.

Example: Il faut que tu manges bien pour que tu aies de l’énergie. (You need to eat well so that you have energy.)

Indicatif Passé Composé

The Subjonctif Imparfait can be used alongside the Indicatif Passé Composé to indicate a contrast between a factual event and a hypothetical one.

Example: Il est parti avant que tu ne fusses arrivé. (He left before you arrived.)

Conditional

The Subjonctif Imparfait is often used with the Conditional to express unreal or hypothetical situations in the past.

Example: J’aurais pu le faire si j’eusse eu plus de temps. (I could have done it if I had had more time.)

Conditional Perfect

It can also be used with the Conditional Perfect to express unreal or hypothetical past events that would have occurred before other past events.

Example: J’aurais su s’il eût partagé l’information. (I would have known if he had shared the information.)

Summary

The Subjonctif Imparfait is a relatively complex tense, and its usage depends on the context and the verbs involved. It is essential to practice and become familiar with common expressions and contexts where this tense is appropriate to use it effectively in everyday French communication.

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb abdiquer. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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