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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb acquitter

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The English translation of the French verb acquitter is “to acquit” or “to discharge.” It is pronounced “ah-kee-tay.”

The origin of the word acquitter can be traced back to the Latin word “quietare,” meaning “to calm” or “to make quiet.” It first appeared in the French language in the 13th century.

In everyday French, acquitter is most often used in its infinitive form as a legal term, meaning to release someone from a debt or obligation, or to declare someone not guilty in a court of law. However, it can also be used in a more general sense to mean to fulfill or carry out a duty or responsibility.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past, acquitter can also convey a sense of obligation or duty. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. Il fallait que je m’acquittasse de cette tâche avant midi. (I had to complete this task before noon.)
  2. Il était important que vous vous acquittiez de vos responsabilités en tant que chef de famille. (It was important for you to fulfill your responsibilities as the head of the family.)
  3. Il souhaitait que nous nous acquittions de notre devoir envers la société. (He wished for us to fulfill our duty towards society.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je acquittasse Si j’avais de l’argent, je acquittasse mes dettes. If I had money, I would pay off my debts.
tu acquittasses Si tu travaillais plus, tu acquittasses tes responsabilités. If you worked harder, you would fulfill your responsibilities.
il acquittât Il serait libre s’il acquittât ses devoirs. He would be free if he fulfilled his duties.
elle acquittât Elle serait satisfaite si elle acquittât ses tâches. She would be satisfied if she completed her tasks.
on acquittât Si on acquittât ses dettes, on pourrait acheter une maison. If one paid off their debts, one could buy a house.
nous acquittassions Si nous acquittassions nos factures à temps, nous n’aurions pas de problèmes financiers. If we paid our bills on time, we wouldn’t have financial problems.
vous acquittassiez Si vous acquittassiez vos obligations, vous pourriez partir en vacances. If you fulfilled your obligations, you could go on vacation.
ils acquittassent S’ils acquittassent leurs dettes, ils pourraient investir dans un projet. If they paid off their debts, they could invest in a project.
elles acquittassent Si elles acquittassent leurs devoirs, elles réussiraient à l’école. If they fulfilled their duties, they would succeed in school.

Other Conjugations for Acquitter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb acquitter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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