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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb adhérer

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The English translation of adhérer is “to adhere” or “to join.” The infinitive form, adhérer, is pronounced as “ah-dehr-ay.”

The word adhérer comes from the Latin word “adhaerere,” meaning “to stick to” or “to be attached to.” It was first used in French in the 13th century.

In everyday French, adhérer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by adding the subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” and the imperfect tense of the verb.

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

  1. J’aurais adhéré à ton projet si tu m’en avais parlé plus tôt.
    Translation: I would have joined your project if you had talked to me about it earlier.

  2. Il était essentiel que les membres adhèrent à notre cause.
    Translation: It was essential that the members adhere to our cause.

  3. Nous aurions adhéré à leur proposition si elle avait été plus claire.
    Translation: We would have adhered to their proposal if it had been clearer.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je adhérasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je adhérasse à ce club. If I had more time, I would join this club.
tu adhérasses Si tu adhérasses, tu pourrais profiter des avantages. If you joined, you could benefit from the advantages.
il adhérât Il serait content si il adhérât à cette idée. He would be happy if he agreed to this idea.
elle adhérât Elle serait surprise si elle adhérât à ce groupe. She would be surprised if she joined this group.
on adhérât Si on adhérât à cette philosophie, on serait plus positif. If one followed this philosophy, one would be more positive.
nous adhérassions Si nous adhérassions tous, nous serions plus forts. If we all joined, we would be stronger.
vous adhérassiez Si vous adhérassiez plus souvent, vous pourriez aider. If you joined more often, you could help.
ils adhérassent S’ils adhérassent, ils pourraient trouver des solutions. If they joined, they could find solutions.
elles adhérassent Si elles adhérassent au programme, elles pourraient gagner. If they joined the program, they could win.

Other Conjugations for Adhérer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb adhérer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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