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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb abouter

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The English translation of the French verb abouter is “to butt/join/fit together.” It is pronounced ah-boo-tay.

The origin of the verb abouter comes from the Old French word “abuter” which meant “to touch or join end to end.” It is often used in everyday French to describe the action of connecting or joining two things together, such as pieces of wood or fabric.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, abouter is used to express a hypothetical or imaginary action in the past. It is formed by combining the present tense of the subjunctive mood with the imperfect tense of the auxiliary verb avoir.

Examples:

  1. Nous voulions que les pièces de puzzle s’aboutassent parfaitement. (We wanted the puzzle pieces to fit perfectly together.)
  2. Il fallait que les deux extrémités du tissu s’aboutassent avant de les coudre. (It was necessary for the two ends of the fabric to join before sewing them.)
  3. Je préférais que les deux parties de la clôture s’aboutassent pour une meilleure solidité. (I preferred for the two parts of the fence to be connected for better solidity.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je aboutasse Si j’étais plus grand, je aboutasse mieux. If I were taller, I would fit better.
tu aboutasses Si tu avais moins de stress, tu aboutasses plus facilement. If you had less stress, you would fit more easily.
il aboutât Il serait plus à l’aise si il aboutât bien. He would be more comfortable if he fit well.
elle aboutât Elle serait plus détendue si elle aboutât mieux. She would be more relaxed if she fit better.
on aboutât Si on aboutât plus vite, on finirait plus tôt. If one fit faster, one would finish earlier.
nous aboutassions Si nous aboutassions ensemble, ça serait plus rapide. If we fit together, it would be faster.
vous aboutassiez Si vous aboutassiez mieux, vous auriez plus de choix. If you fit better, you would have more options.
ils aboutassent S’ils aboutassent plus serré, la porte serait bloquée. If they fit tighter, the door would be stuck.
elles aboutassent Si elles aboutassent plus confortablement, elles pourraient s’asseoir ensemble. If they fit more comfortably, they could sit together.

Other Conjugations for Abouter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb abouter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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