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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb alléguer

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The English translation of the French verb alléguer is “to allege” or “to claim.” It is pronounced as “ah-leh-guh-ray” in its infinitive form.

The language origin of alléguer comes from the Latin word “allēgāre,” meaning “to bring forward as evidence.” In everyday French, alléguer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a verb tense used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu alléguasses ta présence à la réunion. (I wish you had alleged your presence at the meeting.)
  2. Il était important que nous alléguassions des preuves solides pour notre défense. (It was important that we alleged solid evidence for our defense.)
  3. Si elles avaient allégué leur maladie, elles auraient été excusées pour leur absence. (If they had alleged their illness, they would have been excused for their absence.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je alléguasse Si je pouvais, j’alléguasse mon innocence. If I could, I would plead my innocence.
tu alléguasses Si tu avais été là, tu alléguasses en ma faveur. If you had been there, you would have argued in my favor.
il alléguât Il serait surpris si il alléguât sa propre culpabilité. He would be surprised if he admitted his own guilt.
elle alléguât Elle aurait nié si elle alléguât une faute. She would have denied if she had alleged a mistake.
on alléguât Si on alléguât une excuse valable, peut-être sera-t-on pardonné. If one alleged a valid excuse, maybe one would be forgiven.
nous alléguassions Si nous alléguassions plus de preuves, nous gagnerions le procès. If we presented more evidence, we would win the trial.
vous alléguassiez Si vous alléguassiez une injustice, vous seriez entendu. If you alleged an injustice, you would be heard.
ils alléguassent S’ils alléguassent leur innocence, ils seraient acquittés. If they alleged their innocence, they would be acquitted.
elles alléguassent Si elles alléguassent des raisons valables, elles obtiendraient une faveur. If they alleged valid reasons, they would obtain a favor.

Other Conjugations for Alléguer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb alléguer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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