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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb agresser

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The English translation of the French verb agresser is “to attack” or “to assault.” The infinitive form of agresser is pronounced “ah-gress-ay.”

The language origin of agresser comes from the Latin word “aggressus,” meaning “to attack.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action. This tense is formed by using the present tense of the subjunctive mood, followed by the imperfect tense of the verb.

Here are three simple examples of agresser used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je l’agressasse avant qu’il ne s’enfuit. (I had to attack him before he ran away.)
  2. Nous devions faire attention pour ne pas qu’ils nous agressassent. (We had to be careful so they wouldn’t attack us.)
  3. Il aurait été préférable que tu ne l’aggressasses pas sans raison. (It would have been better if you hadn’t attacked him for no reason.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je agressasse Je serais plus calme si j’agressasse moins. I would be calmer if I were less aggressive.
tu agressasses Si tu n’agressasses pas autant, tu aurais plus d’amis. If you weren’t so aggressive, you would have more friends.
il agressât Il serait plus aimable s’il n’agressât pas constamment. He would be nicer if he didn’t constantly aggress.
elle agressât Elle serait plus sympathique si elle n’agressât pas ses collègues. She would be friendlier if she didn’t aggress her colleagues.
on agressât Si on n’agressât pas autant, on se disputerait moins. If one didn’t aggress so much, one would argue less.
nous agressassions Si nous n’agressassions pas les autres, ils seraient plus à l’aise en notre présence. If we didn’t aggress others, they would be more comfortable in our presence.
vous agressassiez Si vous n’agressassiez pas sans raison, vous seriez plus respecté. If you didn’t aggress without reason, you would be more respected.
ils agressassent S’ils n’agressassent pas constamment, ils auraient plus d’amis. If they didn’t constantly aggress, they would have more friends.
elles agressassent Si elles n’agressassent pas leurs camarades, elles seraient mieux perçues. If they didn’t aggress their classmates, they would be seen better.

Other Conjugations for Agresser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb agresser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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