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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb aider

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The English translation of the French verb aider is “to help.” It is pronounced “ay-dey.”

The word “aider” comes from the Latin verb “adiutare” meaning “to assist.” In everyday French, it is most commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action or situation in the past.

Examples:

  1. Je voulais que tu m’aides à déménager. (I wanted you to help me move.)
  2. Il fallait que nous l’aidions à comprendre. (We had to help him understand.)
  3. Je souhaitais que vous m’aidiez avec mes devoirs. (I wished you would help me with my homework.)

In all of these examples, the use of the Subjonctif Imparfait tense indicates that the action of helping did not happen in the past, but it was desired or necessary. In English, these sentences would be translated using the conditional “would” or “could” to convey the same meaning.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je aidasse Je serais plus heureux si j’aidasse les autres. I would be happier if I helped others.
tu aidasses Si tu aidasses plus souvent, tu serais apprécié. If you helped more often, you would be appreciated.
il aidât Il serait reconnaissant si il aidât ses parents. He would be grateful if he helped his parents.
elle aidât Si elle aidât ses amis, ils seraient heureux. If she helped her friends, they would be happy.
on aidât Si on aidât les plus démunis, le monde serait meilleur. If one helped the less fortunate, the world would be better.
nous aidassions Si nous aidassions tous, personne ne serait seul. If we all helped, no one would be alone.
vous aidassiez Si vous aidassiez plus souvent, vous seriez plus utile. If you helped more often, you would be more useful.
ils aidassent S’ils aidassent leurs communautés, elles seraient plus fortes. If they helped their communities, they would be stronger.
elles aidassent Si elles aidassent leurs proches, ils se sentiraient soutenus. If they helped their loved ones, they would feel supported.

Other Conjugations for Aider.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aider
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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