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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb aléser

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of aléser. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb aléser is “to drill” or “to bore.” It is pronounced as “ah-leh-zay” in its infinitive form.

The word “aléser” comes from the Old French word “aleser,” which means “to enlarge a hole.” It ultimately derives from the Latin word “alea,” meaning “die” or “game.” In everyday French, aléser is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

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

  1. Il fallait que j’alésasse le trou en premier. (I had to drill the hole first.)
  2. Elle doutait que nous alésassions le mur correctement. (She doubted that we were drilling the wall correctly.)
  3. Nous voulions qu’ils alésassent le puits plus profondément. (We wanted them to drill the well deeper.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je alésasse Si je n’étais pas malade, je alésasse moins souvent. If I were not sick, I would file less often.
tu alésasses Si tu avais un meilleur outil, tu alésasses plus rapidement. If you had a better tool, you would file faster.
il alésât Il serait probablement fâché si il alésât avec plus de force. He would probably be angry if he filed with more force.
elle alésât Elle serait contente si elle alésât avec plus de précision. She would be happy if she filed with more precision.
on alésât Si on alésât toutes les dents à la même hauteur, ça serait mieux. If one filed all the teeth at the same height, it would be better.
nous alésassions Si nous alésassions plus régulièrement, nos dents seraient plus belles. If we filed more regularly, our teeth would be more beautiful.
vous alésassiez Si vous alésassiez moins fort, vous n’abimeriez pas vos dents. If you filed less hard, you would not damage your teeth.
ils alésassent Si ils alésassent plus délicatement, ils éviteraient les accidents. If they filed more delicately, they would avoid accidents.
elles alésassent Si elles alésassent avec moins de pression, ça ferait moins de bruit. If they filed with less pressure, it would make less noise.

Other Conjugations for Aléser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aléser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the aléser Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply