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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb agrémenter

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The English translation of the French verb agrémenter is “to decorate” or “to embellish.” It is pronounced “ah-greh-mahn-tay.”

The word agrémenter comes from the French word agrément, meaning “pleasure” or “enjoyment.” It is most often used in everyday French to describe the action of adding something to make it more aesthetically pleasing or enjoyable.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, agrémenter is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in this tense with their English translations:

  1. J’aimerais que tu agrémentes le gâteau avec des fraises. (I would like you to decorate the cake with strawberries.)
  2. Nous souhaiterions que vous agrémentiez la salle de réception de fleurs. (We would like you to embellish the reception hall with flowers.)
  3. Il était important que je n’oubliasse pas d’agrémenter ma tenue d’un collier. (It was important for me not to forget to decorate my outfit with a necklace.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je agrémentasse Si j’avais des invités, je agrémentasse le repas. If I had guests, I would garnish the meal.
tu agrémentasses Si tu avais le temps, tu agrémentasses les plats. If you had the time, you would garnish the dishes.
il agrémentât Il serait plus facile si il agrémentât la présentation. It would be easier if he garnished the presentation.
elle agrémentât Elle serait ravie si elle agrémentât le dessert. She would be delighted if she garnished the dessert.
on agrémentât Si on agrémentât les assiettes, on aurait plus d’appétit. If one garnished the plates, one would have more appetite.
nous agrémentassions Si nous agrémentassions tous les plats, le dîner serait parfait. If we garnished all the dishes, dinner would be perfect.
vous agrémentassiez Si vous agrémentassiez la table, elle serait plus jolie. If you garnished the table, it would be prettier.
ils agrémentassent S’ils agrémentassent les boissons, je les boirais toutes. If they garnished the drinks, I would drink them all.
elles agrémentassent Si elles agrémentassent les entrées, j’en prendrais plus. If they garnished the appetizers, I would take more.

Other Conjugations for Agrémenter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb agrémenter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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