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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb absenter

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of absenter. 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 absenter is “to absent oneself” or “to be absent.” The infinitive form is pronounced “ab-sahn-tey.”

Absenter comes from the Latin word “absentare,” meaning “to be absent.” It entered the French language in the 13th century and was originally used in the sense of “to remove oneself” or “to withdraw.” Over time, it came to specifically refer to being absent from a place.

In everyday French, absenter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in formal or polite language, such as in letters or official documents.

Here are three simple examples of using absenter in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je m’absente pour aller chercher mes enfants à l’école. (I had to be absent to pick up my children from school.)

  2. Je savais qu’elle ne viendrait pas, donc je m’absentais du dîner. (I knew she wouldn’t come, so I was absent from the dinner.)

  3. Il était important que vous vous absentiez pendant la réunion pour ne pas influencer les autres membres. (It was important for you to be absent during the meeting so as not to influence the other members.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je absentasse Je ne ferais jamais ça si j’absentasse. I would never do that if I were absent.
tu absentasses Tu serais en retard si tu absentasses. You would be late if you were absent.
il absentât Il penserait à toi s’il absentât. He would think of you if he were absent.
elle absentât Elle ne croirait pas ça si elle absentât. She wouldn’t believe that if she were absent.
on absentât Il serait d’accord si on absentât. He would agree if we were absent.
nous absentassions Nous ne partirions pas si nous absentassions. We wouldn’t leave if we were absent.
vous absentassiez Vous ne comprendriez pas si vous absentassiez. You wouldn’t understand if you were absent.
ils absentassent Ils se verraient là si ils absentassent plus souvent. They would see each other there if they were absent more often.
elles absentassent Elles seraient ensemble si elles absentassent en même temps. They would be together if they were absent at the same time.

Other Conjugations for Absenter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb absenter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    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 absenter Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply