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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb affaler

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The English translation of the French verb affaler is “to lower” or “to slacken.” It is pronounced as “ah-fah-leh.”

The word affaler comes from the Old French word “faler,” meaning “to make fall or lower.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by using the present tense of the subjunctive mood and the imperfect tense of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être.”

Here are three examples of the usage of affaler in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je m’affalasse sur le canapé après une longue journée de travail. (I had to slump onto the couch after a long day of work.)

  2. J’aurais préféré que tu ne t’affalasses pas sur le lit en rentrant. (I would have preferred if you didn’t flop onto the bed when you came home.)

  3. Il était important que nous ne nous affalassions pas devant le patron. (It was important that we didn’t slouch in front of the boss.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je affalasse Si j’avais peur, je m’affalasse de fatigue. If I were scared, I would collapse from exhaustion.
tu affalasses Si tu étais plus fort, tu affalasses la voile plus vite. If you were stronger, you would lower the sail faster.
il affalât Il serait content si il affalât le drapeau. He would be happy if he lowered the flag.
elle affalât Elle serait surprise si elle affalât le mât. She would be surprised if she lowered the mast.
on affalât Si on affalât les cordages, on pourrait descendre plus vite. If one lowered the ropes, one could go down faster.
nous affalassions Si nous affalassions tous les voiles, nous irions plus vite. If we lowered all the sails, we would go faster.
vous affalassiez Si vous affalassiez le pavillon, il serait moins visible. If you lowered the flag, it would be less visible.
ils affalassent S’ils affalassent la bâche, ils seraient protégés de la pluie. If they lowered the tarp, they would be protected from the rain.
elles affalassent Si elles affalassent les filets, elles pourraient pêcher plus facilement. If they lowered the nets, they could fish more easily.

Other Conjugations for Affaler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb affaler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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