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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb abjurer

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The English translation of the French verb abjurer is “to renounce” or “to abjure.” The infinitive form is pronounced “ahb-zhuh-ray.”

The word abjurer comes from the Latin word “abiurare,” meaning “to deny on oath.” It entered the French language in the 14th century. In everyday French, abjurer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a strong and decisive renunciation or rejection of something.

Three examples of abjurer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations are:

  1. “Je souhaitais que tu abjures tes croyances superstitieuses.” (I wished that you renounced your superstitious beliefs.)
  2. “Il fallait qu’ils abjurent leur alliance avec l’ennemi.” (They had to renounce their alliance with the enemy.)
  3. “Elle exigeait que nous abjurions toute forme de violence.” (She demanded that we renounce all forms of violence.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je abjurasse Je serais heureux si je m’abjurasse mes vieux habitudes. I would be happy if I broke my old habits.
tu abjurasses Si tu abjurasses ton passé, tu pourrais avancer. If you renounced your past, you could move forward.
il abjurât Il serait libéré s’il abjurât ses croyances. He would be liberated if he renounced his beliefs.
elle abjurât Elle serait plus heureuse si elle abjurât ses doutes. She would be happier if she gave up her doubts.
on abjurât Si on abjurât la haine, on trouverait la paix. If one renounced hate, one would find peace.
nous abjurassions Si nous abjurassions notre ego, nous pourrions mieux communiquer. If we renounced our ego, we could communicate better.
vous abjurassiez Si vous abjurassiez vos obligations, vous auriez plus de temps. If you renounced your obligations, you would have more time.
ils abjurassent S’ils abjurassent leurs préjugés, le monde serait plus tolérant. If they renounced their prejudices, the world would be more tolerant.
elles abjurassent Si elles abjurassent leurs peurs, elles pourraient prendre des risques. If they gave up their fears, they could take risks.

Other Conjugations for Abjurer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb abjurer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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