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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb adosser

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The English translation of the French verb adosser is “to lean against”. The infinitive form of adosser is pronounced as “ah-doh-seh”.

Adosser comes from the Old French word “ados” which means “side” or “flank”. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

  1. Je craignais qu’il n’adossât son vélo contre le mur. (I was afraid that he would lean his bike against the wall.)
  2. Elle désirait que nous nous adossions contre l’arbre. (She wanted us to lean against the tree.)
  3. Il était important que vous adossiez les meubles avant le déménagement. (It was important that you lean the furniture before moving.)

In these examples, the verb adosser is used to express a desire, fear, or importance in the past. The Subjonctif Imparfait tense is commonly used in French to express these types of emotions or attitudes towards an action.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je adossasse Si j’avais de l’argent, j’adossasse mes dettes. If I had money, I would pay off my debts.
tu adossasses Si tu écoutais mieux, tu adossasses ta chaise. If you listened better, you would lean your chair against the wall.
il adossât Il serait plus confortable s’il adossât son lit. It would be more comfortable if he leaned his bed against the wall.
elle adossât Elle ne se fatiguerait pas si elle adossât son vélo. She wouldn’t get tired if she leaned her bike against the wall.
on adossât Si on adossât le meuble, on pourrait mieux passer. If one leaned the furniture against the wall, one could pass better.
nous adossassions Si nous adossassions les livres, ils ne tomberaient plus. If we leaned the books against the wall, they wouldn’t fall anymore.
vous adossassiez Si vous adossassiez les sacs, vous auriez les mains libres. If you leaned the bags against the wall, you would have free hands.
ils adossassent S’ils adossassent le tableau, il ne se détériorerait pas. If they leaned the painting against the wall, it wouldn’t get damaged.
elles adossassent Si elles adossassent leurs vélos, ils ne prendraient pas de place. If they leaned their bikes against the wall, they wouldn’t take up space.

Other Conjugations for Adosser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb adosser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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