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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb ancrer

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The English translation of the French verb ancrer is “to anchor.” It is pronounced “ahn-kreh.”

The language origin of ancrer comes from the Old French word “ancrer” which comes from the Latin word “ancora” meaning “anchor.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of ancrer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je m’ancrasse pour ne pas être emporté par les vagues. (It was necessary for me to anchor myself so as not to be swept away by the waves.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu t’ancrasse sur la plage pour admirer le coucher du soleil. (I wished for you to anchor yourself on the beach to admire the sunset.)
  3. Il aurait été préférable que le bateau s’ancrât dans une baie abritée avant la tempête. (It would have been preferable for the boat to anchor itself in a sheltered bay before the storm.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je ancrasse Si j’étais plus fort, je ancrasse mon bateau plus loin. If I were stronger, I would anchor my boat further.
tu ancrasses Si tu avais un meilleur ancrage, tu ancrasses plus facilement. If you had a better anchor, you would anchor more easily.
il ancrât Il serait plus rapide si il ancrât plus vite. It would be quicker if he anchored faster.
elle ancrât Elle serait plus sûre si elle ancrât plus profond. She would be safer if she anchored deeper.
on ancrât Si on ancrât à l’avant, ça serait plus stable. If one anchored at the front, it would be more stable.
nous ancrassions Si nous ancrassions dans la baie, nous serions protégés. If we anchored in the bay, we would be protected.
vous ancrassiez Si vous ancrassiez plus souvent, vous auriez moins de problèmes. If you anchored more often, you would have less problems.
ils ancrassent S’ils ancrassent plus prudemment, ils éviteraient le naufrage. If they anchored more cautiously, they would avoid shipwreck.
elles ancrassent Si elles ancrassent ici, elles pourraient admirer le coucher de soleil. If they anchored here, they could admire the sunset.

Other Conjugations for Ancrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ancrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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