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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb amender

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The English translation of the French verb amender is “to amend” or “to improve.” The infinitive form is pronounced “ah-mahn-day.”

The word “amender” comes from the Old French word “amendier,” which derives from the Latin word “emendare,” meaning “to correct” or “to improve.” In everyday French, amender is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three examples of amender in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que tu amendes tes erreurs. (You needed to amend your mistakes.)

  2. Nous préférions que vous amendiez votre comportement. (We preferred that you amend your behavior.)

  3. Il aurait été mieux que je n’amende pas mon jugement. (It would have been better if I had not amended my judgment.)

In these examples, amender is used to express a desired or recommended action in the past, but with an element of doubt or uncertainty. The Subjonctif Imparfait tense is often used in French to convey a sense of doubt, possibility, or wishful thinking.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je amendasse Je voudrais que je amendasse ma conduite. I wish I would amend my behavior.
tu amendasses Si tu te repentais, tu amendasses tes erreurs. If you repented, you would amend your mistakes.
il amendât Il serait sage qu’il amendât ses opinions. It would be wise for him to amend his opinions.
elle amendât Elle souhaiterait que elle amendât son comportement. She would like her to amend her behavior.
on amendât Si on amendât les règles, ça serait plus juste. If one amended the rules, it would be fairer.
nous amendassions Si nous amendassions nos actions, nous serions pardonnés. If we amended our actions, we would be forgiven.
vous amendassiez Si vous amendassiez vos habitudes, vous vous porteriez mieux. If you amended your habits, you would feel better.
ils amendassent S’ils amendassent leurs façons de faire, ils éviteraient les conflits. If they amended their ways, they would avoid conflicts.
elles amendassent Si elles amendassent leur attitude, ça serait plus harmonieux. If they amended their attitude, it would be more harmonious.

Other Conjugations for Amender.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb amender
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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