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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb aliéner

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The English translation of the French verb aliéner is “to alienate.” It is pronounced “ah-lee-uh-nay.”

The word aliéner comes from the Latin word “alienare,” meaning “to transfer ownership.” It entered the French language in the 15th century and has been used in various contexts since then.

In every day French, aliéner is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the conjunction “que” to introduce a subordinate clause.

Examples:

  1. Il était triste que sa meilleure amie l’aliénât en se faisant de nouveaux amis. (He was sad that his best friend alienated him by making new friends.)
  2. J’avais peur que mes parents m’aliénassent en apprenant ma décision. (I was afraid that my parents would alienate me when they found out about my decision.)
  3. Nous ne voulions pas qu’elle nous aliénât en se joignant à notre groupe. (We didn’t want her to alienate us by joining our group.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je aliénasse Si j’avais le temps, je aliénasse mes biens. If I had the time, I would alienate my possessions.
tu aliénasses Si tu étais riche, tu aliénasses ton argent. If you were rich, you would alienate your money.
il aliénât Il serait choqué si il aliénât sa famille. He would be shocked if he alienated his family.
elle aliénât Elle serait déçue si elle aliénât ses amis. She would be disappointed if she alienated her friends.
on aliénât Si on aliénât ses valeurs, on serait malheureux. If one alienated their values, one would be unhappy.
nous aliénassions Si nous aliénassions nos terres, nous perdions notre héritage. If we alienated our lands, we would lose our inheritance.
vous aliénassiez Si vous aliénassiez votre liberté, vous seriez prisonnier. If you alienated your freedom, you would be a prisoner.
ils aliénassent S’ils aliénassent leur culture, ils perdraient leur identité. If they alienated their culture, they would lose their identity.
elles aliénassent Si elles aliénassent leur pouvoir, elles seraient vulnérables. If they alienated their power, they would be vulnerable.

Other Conjugations for Aliéner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aliéner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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