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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb apprécier

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The English translation of the French verb apprécier is “to appreciate” or “to value.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “a-pree-see-ay.”

The word apprécier comes from the Latin word appretiare, meaning “to set a price on” or “to estimate.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a subjective opinion or feeling about something in the past.

Here are three examples of how apprécier is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense in everyday French:

  1. J’appréciais que tu m’aides dans mon projet. (I appreciated that you were helping me with my project.)
  2. Il fallait que nous appréciions le paysage pendant notre randonnée. (We had to appreciate the landscape during our hike.)
  3. Elle préférait que je n’apprécie pas son cadeau. (She would have preferred that I didn’t appreciate her gift.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je appréciasse Je serais contente si j’appréciasse le cadeau. I would be happy if I appreciated the gift.
tu appréciasses Si tu m’aidais, j’appréciasses plus. If you helped me, I would appreciate it more.
il appréciât Il serait ravi si il appréciât le film. He would be delighted if he enjoyed the movie.
elle appréciât Elle serait fière si elle appréciât le travail. She would be proud if she appreciated the work.
on appréciât Si on appréciât le silence, on trouverait la paix. If one appreciated silence, one would find peace.
nous appréciassions Si nous appréciassions la nature, nous la protégerions. If we appreciated nature, we would protect it.
vous appréciassiez Si vous appréciassiez la musique, vous en joueriez plus. If you appreciated music, you would play it more.
ils appréciassent S’ils appréciassent les efforts, ils atteindraient leur but. If they appreciated the efforts, they would reach their goal.
elles appréciassent Si elles appréciassent la cuisine, elles cuisineraient plus. If they appreciated cooking, they would cook more.

Other Conjugations for Apprécier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprécier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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