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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb abricoter

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The English translation of the French verb abricoter is “to glaze with apricot jam”. It is pronounced “ah-bree-koh-tay” in its infinitive form.

The word abricoter comes from the noun “abricot” meaning apricot, and the suffix “-er” which is used to form verbs in French. In everyday French, abricoter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses uncertainty or doubt in the past.

Some examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Il fallait que j’abricote le gâteau avant de le mettre au four. (I had to glaze the cake before putting it in the oven.)
  2. J’aurais aimé que tu abricotes les tartelettes pour le dessert. (I would have liked you to glaze the tartlets for dessert.)
  3. Il était préférable que nous abricotions les biscuits avant de les servir. (It was preferable for us to glaze the cookies before serving them.)

The most common translation for the Subjonctif Imparfait tense in English is the past tense of “should” or “would”. Therefore, the English translations for the examples above would be:

  1. I should have glazed the cake before putting it in the oven.
  2. I would have liked you to glaze the tartlets for dessert.
  3. It was preferable for us to glaze the cookies before serving them.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je abricotasse Je serais content si je abricotasse plus souvent. I would be happy if I apricot more often.
tu abricotasses Tu serais fier si tu abricotasses parfaitement. You would be proud if you apricot perfectly.
il abricotât Il serait surpris si il abricotât aussi bien. He would be surprised if he apricoted as well.
elle abricotât Elle serait ravie si elle abricotât de nouveaux plats. She would be delighted if she apricoted new dishes.
on abricotât Si on abricotât ensemble, ça pourrait être amusant. If one apricoted together, it could be fun.
nous abricotassions Si nous abricotassions ensemble, nous pourrions partager nos recettes. If we apricoted together, we could share our recipes.
vous abricotassiez Si vous abricotassiez plus régulièrement, vous deviendriez experts. If you apricoted more regularly, you would become experts.
ils abricotassent S’ils abricotassent à la perfection, cela serait impressionnant. If they apricoted perfectly, it would be impressive.
elles abricotassent Si elles abricotassent pour leurs familles, cela serait apprécié. If they apricoted for their families, it would be appreciated.

Other Conjugations for Abricoter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb abricoter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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