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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb aimanter

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The English translation of the French verb aimanter is “to magnetize” or “to attract.” The infinitive form of aimanter is pronounced like “eh-mahn-tay.”

Aimanter comes from the Latin word “ad manum” which means “to the hand.” It was first used in the 13th century to refer to the process of making iron magnetic by rubbing it with a lodestone. Over time, the word evolved to also mean “to attract” in a figurative sense.

In everyday French, aimanter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense 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’aurais aimanté cette barre de fer si j’avais eu un aimant plus puissant. (I would have magnetized this iron bar if I had a stronger magnet.)
  2. Il se demandait si elle l’aimantait encore après toutes ces années. (He wondered if she still attracted him after all these years.)
  3. Nous aurions aimanté plus de clients si notre publicité avait été mieux ciblée. (We would have attracted more customers if our advertising had been more targeted.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je aimantasse Si j’avais une boussole, je l’aimantasse vers le nord. If I had a compass, I would magnetize it towards the north.
tu aimantasses Si tu aimantasses plus fort, ça tiendrait mieux. If you magnetized it stronger, it would hold better.
il aimantât Je serais impressionné si il l’aimantât avec un aimant puissant. I would be impressed if he magnetized it with a strong magnet.
elle aimantât Elle serait contente si elle l’aimantât rapidement. She would be happy if she magnetized it quickly.
on aimantât Si on aimantât tous les objets métalliques, on pourrait faire de la sculpture. If one magnetized all metal objects, one could do sculpture.
nous aimantassions Si nous aimantassions ensemble, on pourrait créer un champ magnétique. If we magnetized together, we could create a magnetic field.
vous aimantassiez Si vous aimantassiez les deux côtés, ça collerait. If you magnetized both sides, it would stick.
ils aimantassent S’ils aimantassent les pôles opposés, ça s’attirerait. If they magnetized opposite poles, they would attract each other.
elles aimantassent Si elles aimantassent leurs affaires, elles pourraient trouver leur trésor. If they magnetized their belongings, they could find their treasure.

Other Conjugations for Aimanter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aimanter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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