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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb annuler

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The English translation of the French verb annuler is “to cancel.” It is pronounced ahn-yoo-lay.

The word annuler comes from the Latin word “annullare,” meaning “to make null.” It entered the French language in the 14th century.

In everyday French, the verb annuler is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by taking the imperfect subjunctive form of the verb avoir or être and adding the past participle of annuler.

Three simple examples of using annuler in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Si j’avais su que tu étais malade, je t’aurais annulé le rendez-vous. (If I had known you were sick, I would have canceled the meeting with you.)
  2. Il fallait que je l’annulasse parce que j’étais trop occupé. (I needed to cancel it because I was too busy.)
  3. Elle était tellement fâchée que nous ayons annulé nos vacances. (She was so angry that we had canceled our vacation.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je annulasse Si je n’avais pas peur, j’annulasse mon vol. If I wasn’t afraid, I would cancel my flight.
tu annulasses Si tu annulasses tes plans, je serais libre. If you canceled your plans, I would be free.
il annulât Il serait déçu si il annulât le rendez-vous. He would be disappointed if he canceled the meeting.
elle annulât Elle serait en colère si elle annulât le concert. She would be angry if she canceled the concert.
on annulât Si on annulât le match, on serait déçu. If one canceled the game, one would be disappointed.
nous annulassions Si nous annulassions le voyage, nous serions tristes. If we canceled the trip, we would be sad.
vous annulassiez Si vous annulassiez la réservation, ça serait dommage. If you canceled the reservation, it would be a shame.
ils annulassent S’ils annulassent la fête, ça serait désagréable. If they canceled the party, it would be unpleasant.
elles annulassent Si elles annulassent l’évènement, ça serait décevant. If they canceled the event, it would be disappointing.

Other Conjugations for Annuler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb annuler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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