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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb aborder

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of aborder. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb aborder is “to approach” or “to tackle.” The infinitive form of aborder is pronounced “ah-bohr-dé.”

The word aborder comes from the Old French word “abourder,” which meant “to put into a port.” It was derived from the Latin word “ad,” meaning “to” or “toward,” and “bord,” meaning “edge” or “border.” In everyday French, aborder is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses possibility or uncertainty in the past.

Example 1: Il fallait que je l’aborde (I had to approach/tackle him)
Example 2: Je doutais qu’il l’aborde (I doubted that he would approach/tackle it)
Example 3: Elle souhaitait que nous l’abordions (She wished for us to approach/tackle it)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je abordasse J’aurais peur si je m’abordasse un requin. I would be scared if I encountered a shark.
tu abordasses Si tu abordasses la question différemment, ça changerait tout. If you approached the question differently, it would change everything.
il abordât Il aurait honte si il abordât la situation de cette façon. He would be ashamed if he approached the situation in that way.
elle abordât Elle serait surprise si elle abordât le sujet sans préparation. She would be surprised if she approached the subject without preparation.
on abordât Si on abordât le problème ensemble, on pourrait le résoudre. If one approached the problem together, one could solve it.
nous abordassions Si nous abordassions ce projet en équipe, ça serait plus efficace. If we approached this project as a team, it would be more effective.
vous abordassiez Si vous abordassiez la question maintenant, ça serait trop tard. If you approached the question now, it would be too late.
ils abordassent S’ils abordassent le sujet avec plus de tact, ça pourrait passer. If they approached the subject with more tact, it could pass.
elles abordassent Si elles abordassent le défi avec confiance, elles réussiraient. If they approached the challenge with confidence, they would succeed.

Other Conjugations for Aborder.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aborder
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the aborder Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply