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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb amorcer

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The English translation of the French verb amorcer is “to initiate” or “to begin.” It is pronounced “ah-mor-seh.”

The word amorcer comes from the Latin word “aumulcere,” meaning “to bite” or “to provoke.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and evolved to mean “to put bait on a hook” or “to start a fire.”

In everyday French, amorcer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is typically used to express a desire, wish, or suggestion.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense with English translations:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu amorces la conversation. (I wished that you would initiate the conversation.)
  2. Il fallait que nous amorcions le processus de paix. (We had to initiate the peace process.)
  3. Ils préféraient que vous amorciez le changement. (They preferred that you would start the change.)

In all of these examples, the verb amorcer is conjugated in the Subjonctif Imparfait form to express a desire or suggestion in the past.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je amorçasse Si j’étais plus rapide, je amorçasse mieux. If I were faster, I would initiate better.
tu amorçasses Si tu amorçasses prudemment, tu ne te blesserais pas. If you initiated carefully, you wouldn’t get hurt.
il amorçât Il craindrait si il amorçât l’alarme. He would be afraid if he initiated the alarm.
elle amorçât Elle se sentirait en sécurité si elle amorçât le système de sécurité. She would feel safe if she initiated the security system.
on amorçât Si on amorçât les négociations, on pourrait trouver un accord. If one initiated negotiations, one could reach an agreement.
nous amorcassions Si nous amorcassions l’attaque, nous pourrions gagner le match. If we initiated the attack, we could win the game.
vous amorcassiez Si vous amorcassiez le débat, vous pourriez changer d’avis. If you initiated the debate, you could change your mind.
ils amorçassent S’ils amorçassent la bombe, ils risqueraient de détruire le bâtiment. If they initiated the bomb, they would risk destroying the building.
elles amorçassent Si elles amorçassent le mouvement, elles pourraient provoquer un changement. If they initiated the movement, they could cause change.

Other Conjugations for Amorcer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb amorcer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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