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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb altérer

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The English translation of the French verb altérer is “to alter” or “to change.” It is pronounced “ahl-teh-ray.”

Altérer comes from the Latin word “alterare,” meaning “to change” or “to vary.” It is most commonly used in everyday French to express a change or alteration in something, such as a physical object or a situation. In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, it is often used to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation.

Here are three examples of altérer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Si j’altérais mes habitudes alimentaires, je me sentirais en meilleure forme. (If I were to alter my eating habits, I would feel better.)

  2. Il était important que nous n’altérassions pas le document original. (It was important that we didn’t alter the original document.)

  3. Je préférerais que tu n’altérasses pas notre plan initial. (I would prefer if you didn’t alter our initial plan.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je altérasse Je serais surprise si je altérasse le goût. I would be surprised if I altered the taste.
tu altérasses Si tu n’altérasses pas ton opinion, tu serais plus cohérent. If you didn’t alter your opinion, you would be more consistent.
il altérât Il ne serait pas content si il altérât le plan. He wouldn’t be happy if he altered the plan.
elle altérât Elle serait très en colère si elle altérât les documents. She would be very angry if she altered the documents.
on altérât Si on altérât cette règle, ça pourrait avoir des conséquences graves. If one altered this rule, it could have serious consequences.
nous altérassions Si nous altérassions nos habitudes, nous serions plus en forme. If we altered our habits, we would be in better shape.
vous altérassiez Si vous altérassiez cette matière, vous auriez peut-être une meilleure note. If you altered this subject, you might have a better grade.
ils altérassent S’ils altérassent leur discours, ils seraient plus convaincants. If they altered their speech, they would be more convincing.
elles altérassent Si elles altérassent leur apparence, elles se sentiraient mieux. If they altered their appearance, they would feel better.

Other Conjugations for Altérer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb altérer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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