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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb alterner

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The English translation of the French verb alterner is “to alternate.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “ahl-tair-nay.”

The word alterner comes from the Latin word “alternare” which means “to alternate.” It entered the French language in the 12th century.

In everyday French, alterner is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a possibility, wish or doubt in the past. It is often used in conditional sentences or after certain conjunctions such as “si” (if), “avant que” (before), or “dès que” (as soon as).

Here are three simple examples of how alterner is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Si j’alternerais entre le travail et les études, je serais moins fatigué. (If I were alternating between work and studies, I would be less tired.)

  2. Je préférais que tu alternerais entre les exercices de cardio et de musculation. (I would prefer if you were alternating between cardio and strength exercises.)

  3. Il fallait que nous alternerions entre les deux langues pendant la réunion. (We had to alternate between the two languages during the meeting.)

In all of these examples, alterner is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. The English translations also use the past tense to convey this meaning.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je alternasse Si j’étais fatigué, je alternasse le travail et le repos. If I were tired, I would alternate work and rest.
tu alternasses Si tu étais plus organisé, tu alternasses mieux tes tâches. If you were more organized, you would alternate your tasks better.
il alternât Il serait plus efficace s’il alternât entre les deux méthodes. He would be more efficient if he alternated between the two methods.
elle alternât Elle serait plus heureuse si elle alternât entre ses passions. She would be happier if she alternated between her passions.
on alternât Si on alternât les couleurs, ça serait plus joli. If one alternated the colors, it would be prettier.
nous alternassions Si nous alternassions les tâches, ça irait plus vite. If we alternated the tasks, it would go faster.
vous alternassiez Si vous alternassiez les plats, vous auriez plus de variété. If you alternated the dishes, you would have more variety.
ils alternassent S’ils alternassent les responsabilités, ils seraient plus équilibrés. If they alternated the responsibilities, they would be more balanced.
elles alternassent Si elles alternassent les rôles, ça serait plus équitable. If they alternated roles, it would be fairer.

Other Conjugations for Alterner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb alterner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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