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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb aduler

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The English translation of the French verb aduler is “to flatter” or “to fawn over.” It is pronounced as “ah-doo-lay.”

The word “aduler” comes from the Latin word “adulare,” which means “to flatter” or “to caress.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express actions or thoughts that are not certain or hypothetical.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je l’adulasse pour obtenir une promotion. (I had to flatter him to get a promotion.)

  2. J’aimerais que tu ne l’adules pas autant, ça pourrait lui monter à la tête. (I wish you wouldn’t flatter him so much, it could go to his head.)

  3. Si seulement il n’avait pas adulé le patron, il n’aurait pas été licencié. (If only he hadn’t fawned over the boss, he wouldn’t have been fired.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je adulasse Si j’étais riche, je adulasse plus de personnes. If I were rich, I would flatter more people.
tu adulasses Si tu étais plus humble, tu adulasses moins. If you were more humble, you would flatter less.
il adulât Il serait plus populaire s’il adulât moins. He would be more popular if he flattered less.
elle adulât Elle serait plus honnête si elle adulât moins. She would be more honest if she flattered less.
on adulât Si on adulât plus, on serait moins sincère. If one flattered more, one would be less sincere.
nous adulassions Si nous adulassions ensemble, on ne nous croirait plus. If we flattered together, people wouldn’t believe us anymore.
vous adulassiez Si vous adulassiez moins, vous seriez plus authentique. If you flattered less, you would be more authentic.
ils adulassent S’ils adulassent plus discrètement, ils seraient plus convaincants. If they flattered more discreetly, they would be more convincing.
elles adulassent Si elles adulassent moins, elles auraient une meilleure réputation. If they flattered less, they would have a better reputation.

Other Conjugations for Aduler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aduler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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