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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb adjectiver

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The English translation of the French verb adjectiver is “to adjective”. It is pronounced “ah-djeh-ktiv-ay”.

The word adjectiver comes from the Latin word “adjectivus”, meaning “added”. It was first used in the French language in the 12th century.

In everyday French, adjectiver is most often used to describe or modify a noun, similar to the use of adjectives in English. In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, it is typically used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action or state.

Examples:

  1. Il fallait que je l’adjectivasse comme “intelligent”. (It was necessary for me to adjective him as “intelligent”.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu m’adjectivasses comme “beau”. (I wished for you to adjective me as “handsome”.)
  3. Il était important que nous l’adjectivassions comme “spécial”. (It was important for us to adjective him as “special”.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je adjectivasse J’aimerais que je adjectivasse mieux. I wish I could describe better.
tu adjectivasses Si tu avais plus de vocabulaire, tu adjectivasses mieux. If you had a larger vocabulary, you would describe better.
il adjectivât Il serait plus précis si il adjectivât. He would be more precise if he described.
elle adjectivât Elle serait plus créative si elle adjectivât. She would be more creative if she described.
on adjectivât Si on adjectivât mieux, la lecture serait plus intéressante. If one described better, reading would be more interesting.
nous adjectivassions Si nous adjectivassions ensemble, le texte serait plus coloré. If we described together, the text would be more vivid.
vous adjectivassiez Si vous adjectivassiez plus, vous seriez plus précis. If you described more, you would be more precise.
ils adjectivassent S’ils adjectivassent mieux, ils seraient de meilleurs écrivains. If they described better, they would be better writers.
elles adjectivassent Si elles adjectivassent ensemble, leur description serait plus complète. If they described together, their description would be more complete.

Other Conjugations for Adjectiver.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb adjectiver
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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