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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb apprêter

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The English translation of the French verb apprêter is “to prepare,” pronounced “ah-preh-tay.”

The origin of the word apprêter comes from the Old French word “aprester,” meaning “to get ready” or “to make ready.” It is derived from the Latin word “praeparare,” meaning “to prepare.”

In everyday French, apprêter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a wish, desire, or uncertainty in the past. It is commonly used in conjunction with the word “que” (that).

  1. J’aurais voulu que tu m’apprêtes mon café. (I would have liked for you to prepare my coffee.)
  2. Il était possible que je t’apprêtasse un repas spécial. (It was possible that I would have prepared a special meal for you.)
  3. Je préférais que nous apprêtions la maison avant l’arrivée des invités. (I preferred that we would prepare the house before the arrival of the guests.)

In these examples, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express a past wish, possibility, or preference that may or may not have been realized. The use of “que” introduces the subjunctive mood, indicating that the action is uncertain or hypothetical.

Overall, apprêter is a versatile verb that can be used in various tenses and moods to express actions related to preparation or readiness.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je apprêtasse Si je gagnais à la loterie, j’apprêtasse un grand voyage. If I won the lottery, I would prepare a big trip.
tu apprêtasses Si tu écoutais attentivement, tu apprêtasses mieux tes réponses. If you listened carefully, you would prepare your answers better.
il apprêtât Il serait heureux si il apprêtât un bon repas. He would be happy if he prepared a good meal.
elle apprêtât Elle serait ravie si elle apprêtât bien ses vêtements. She would be delighted if she prepared her clothes well.
on apprêtât Si on apprêtât la salle, le spectacle serait parfait. If one prepared the room, the show would be perfect.
nous apprêtassions Si nous apprêtassions le dîner ensemble, ça serait plus fun. If we prepared dinner together, it would be more fun.
vous apprêtassiez Si vous apprêtassiez plus tôt, vous auriez plus de temps libre. If you prepared earlier, you would have more free time.
ils apprêtassent S’ils apprêtassent le repas, nous pourrions manger plus tôt. If they prepared the meal, we could eat earlier.
elles apprêtassent Si elles apprêtassent le gâteau, il serait plus savoureux. If they prepared the cake, it would be more delicious.

Other Conjugations for Apprêter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprêter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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