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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb apparier

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The English translation of the French verb apparier is “to match” or “to pair.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “ah-pah-ree-ay.”

The word apparier comes from the Old French word “aparier” meaning “to pair or match,” which originated from the Latin word “apparere” meaning “to appear.” In everyday French, it is most often used to describe the action of matching or pairing two things together, whether it be objects, people, or ideas. It is also commonly used in sports to describe the pairing of opponents in a game or competition.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, apparier is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the conjunction “si” (if) to describe a hypothetical situation.

Here are three simple examples of apparier in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Si j’appariais les chaussettes avant de les mettre dans le tiroir, je ne les perdrais plus. (If I were to pair the socks before putting them in the drawer, I wouldn’t lose them anymore.)

  2. Nous te recommandions d’apparier les couleurs de la chambre avant de choisir la peinture. (We would recommend that you match the colors of the room before choosing the paint.)

  3. Il fallait qu’ils appariassent les danseurs en fonction de leur taille pour créer une belle chorégraphie. (They had to match the dancers according to their height to create a beautiful choreography.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je appariasse Si j’avais un partenaire, je appariasse avec lui. If I had a partner, I would pair up with them.
tu apparesses Si tu étais plus organisé, tu apparesses mieux. If you were more organized, you would pair up better.
il apparût Si il suivait les instructions, il apparût plus professionnel. If he followed the instructions, he would come across more professional.
elle apparût Si elle avait plus de temps, elle apparût plus détendue. If she had more time, she would appear more relaxed.
on apparût Si on était plus compatibles, on apparût plus heureux. If we were more compatible, we would seem happier.
nous apparussions Si nous apparussions ensemble, on remarquerait notre différence d’âge. If we appeared together, our age difference would be noticed.
vous apparussiez Si vous apparussiez plus souvent, on se verrait plus. If you appeared more often, we would see each other more.
ils apparussent Si ils se concentraient plus, ils apparussent plus compétents. If they focused more, they would come across as more competent.
elles apparussent Si elles avaient plus d’entraînement, elles apparussent plus fortes. If they had more training, they would appear stronger.

Other Conjugations for Apparier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apparier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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