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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb ambrer

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The English translation of the French verb ambrer is “to emboss”. The infinitive form is pronounced “ahm-bray”.

The word ambrer is derived from the Old French word “anbrer” which means “to carve or engrave”. It comes from the Latin word “ambrere” which means “to make a groove or channel”. It is most often used in every day French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples of ambrer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je l’ambrasse pour que ça soit bien visible. (I had to emboss it so that it would be clearly visible.)

  2. J’aimais que tu ambrasses les lettres avec ton style unique. (I loved it when you embossed the letters with your unique style.)

  3. Il voulait que nous ambrassions le bois pour en faire un joli cadre. (He wanted us to emboss the wood to make a beautiful frame.)

English translations:

  1. It was necessary for me to emboss it so that it would be clearly visible.

  2. I loved it when you embossed the letters with your unique style.

  3. He wanted us to emboss the wood to make a beautiful frame.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je ambrasse Si j’avais du temps, je ambrasse des nouveaux plats. If I had time, I would try new dishes.
tu ambrasses Je recommande d’ambrasses plus de vins avant de choisir. I recommend trying more wines before choosing.
il ambrât Il serait mieux si il ambrât avant de commander. It would be better if he tasted before ordering.
elle ambrât Elle serait satisfaite si elle ambrât avec le chef. She would be satisfied if she tasted with the chef.
on ambrât Si on ambrât le plat, on trouverait plus de saveurs. If one tasted the dish, one would find more flavors.
nous ambrassions Si nous ambrassions toutes les options, nous choisirions mieux. If we tried all the options, we would choose better.
vous ambrassiez Si vous ambrassiez tout, vous trouveriez le meilleur. If you tried everything, you would find the best.
ils ambrassent S’ils ambrassent avec modération, ils auraient moins de gueule de bois. If they tasted in moderation, they would have less of a hangover.
elles ambrassent Si elles ambrassent ensemble, elles découvriraient de nouveaux goûts. If they tasted together, they would discover new flavors.

Other Conjugations for Ambrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ambrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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