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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb accouer

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The English translation of the French verb accouer is “to admit” or “to acknowledge.” In French, it is pronounced as “ah-koo-ay.”

The word accouer comes from the Latin word “accōgnōscere,” which means “to recognize” or “to acknowledge.” It entered the French language in the 12th century.

In everyday French, the verb accouer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is typically used after verbs that express doubt, emotion, or possibility.

Here are three simple examples of accouer used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Je souhaitais qu’il m’accouât ses erreurs. (I wanted him to admit his mistakes.)
  2. Nous avions peur qu’ils s’accouent coupables. (We were afraid they would admit guilt.)
  3. Il était possible que tu t’accouasses ta part de responsabilité. (It was possible that you would acknowledge your share of responsibility.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je accouasse Si j’avais un enfant, je l’accouasse tous les matins. If I had a child, I would cuddle him every morning.
tu accouasses Si tu avais un chien, tu l’accouasses tout le temps. If you had a dog, you would pet him all the time.
il accouât S’il avait plus de temps, il accouât son chat. If he had more time, he would cuddle his cat.
elle accouât Si elle avait un bébé, elle l’accouât sans arrêt. If she had a baby, she would cuddle him constantly.
on accouât Si on avait un chat, on l’accouât tous les jours. If one had a cat, one would cuddle him every day.
nous accouassions Si nous avions un chien, nous l’accouassions souvent. If we had a dog, we would pet him often.
vous accouassiez Si vous aviez un chaton, vous l’accouassiez toujours. If you had a kitten, you would always pet him.
ils accouassent S’ils avaient un bébé, ils l’accouassent tout le temps. If they had a baby, they would cuddle him constantly.
elles accouassent Si elles avaient un chien, elles l’accouassent sans arrêt. If they had a dog, they would pet him constantly.

Other Conjugations for Accouer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb accouer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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