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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb alpaguer

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The English translation of the French verb alpaguer is “to catch” or “to nab.” It is pronounced as “al-pah-geh.”

The origin of the word alpaguer can be traced back to the Old French term “alpache” which meant “paw.” Over time, it evolved to mean “to catch by the paw,” and eventually became the modern verb “alpaguer.”

In everyday French, alpaguer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a possibility or hypothetical action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with other verbs to express an action that may or may not have happened.

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

  1. Ils craignaient de se faire alpaguer par la police. (They were afraid of getting caught by the police.)
  2. J’avais peur qu’il ne m’alpaguât avant que je ne puisse m’enfuir. (I was afraid he would catch me before I could escape.)
  3. Il était possible qu’elle se soit fait alpaguer par un voleur. (It was possible that she got caught by a thief.)

In these examples, the verb alpaguer is used to express a possibility or potential action in the past. The Subjonctif Imparfait tense is often used in conjunction with expressions of fear, doubt, or possibility.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je alpaguasse Je serais plus calme si je alpaguasse moins. I would be calmer if I bothered less.
tu alpaguasses Tu serais plus détendu si tu alpaguasses moins. You would be more relaxed if you bothered less.
il alpaguât Il se sentirait mieux si il alpaguât moins. He would feel better if he bothered less.
elle alpaguât Elle aurait plus de temps si elle alpaguât moins. She would have more time if she bothered less.
on alpaguât Si on alpaguât un peu, on pourrait s’amuser. If one bothered a little, one could have fun.
nous alpaguassions Si nous alpaguassions tout le temps, nous serions fatigués. If we bothered all the time, we would be tired.
vous alpaguassiez Si vous alpaguassiez moins, vous auriez plus de temps. If you bothered less, you would have more time.
ils alpaguassent S’ils alpaguassent tous les jours, ils seraient épuisés. If they bothered every day, they would be exhausted.
elles alpaguassent Si elles alpaguassent plus, elles seraient plus stressées. If they bothered more, they would be more stressed.

Other Conjugations for Alpaguer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb alpaguer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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