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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb abhorrer

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The English translation of the French verb abhorrer is “to abhor” or “to detest.” The infinitive form, abhorrer, is pronounced “ah-boh-reh.”

The word abhorrer comes from the Latin word abhorrere, which means “to shrink back” or “to detest.” It entered the French language in the 15th century and is derived from the prefix ab- (meaning “away from”) and the verb horrere (meaning “to tremble” or “to shudder”).

In everyday French, abhorrer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used to express a strong dislike or aversion towards something in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu n’abhorrasses pas le poisson. (I wish you had not detested fish.)
  2. Il fallait que nous abhorrions cette situation. (We had to detest this situation.)
  3. Je regrette que vous abhorreriez toujours cet homme. (I regret that you still detested this man.)

In all of these examples, the Subjonctif Imparfait form of abhorrer is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past, and the verb is conjugated to match the subject of the sentence.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je abhorrasse Si je voyais ça, je abhorrasse. If I saw that, I would abhor.
tu abhorrasse Si tu faisais ça, tu abhorrasse. If you did that, you would abhor.
il abhorrât S’il était là, il abhorrât. If he were here, he would abhor.
elle abhorrât Si elle mangeait ça, elle abhorrât. If she ate that, she would abhor.
on abhorrât Si on parlait de ça, on abhorrât. If one talked about that, one would abhor.
nous abhorrions Si nous faisions ça, nous abhorrions. If we did that, we would abhor.
vous abhorrassiez Si vous disiez ça, vous abhorrassiez. If you said that, you would abhor.
ils abhorrassent S’ils faisaient ça, ils abhorrassent. If they did that, they would abhor.
elles abhorrassent Si elles le mangeaient, elles abhorrassent. If they ate it, they would abhor.

Other Conjugations for Abhorrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb abhorrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!
   

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Abhorrer – 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 abhorrer. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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