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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb apprivoiser

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The English translation of the French verb apprivoiser is “to tame” or “to domesticate.” The infinitive form is pronounced ah-pree-vwah-zay.

The word apprivoiser comes from the Old French word “apertiser,” which means “to make tame or docile.” It is derived from the Latin word “appretiare,” which means “to make ready or prepare.”

In everyday French, apprivoiser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express the idea of an action that is desired or imagined, but has not yet been realized. It is typically used in conjunction with another verb in the main clause, expressing a wish, desire, or emotion.

Here are three examples of apprivoiser in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que j’apprivoise le chien avant qu’il ne devienne agressif. (It was necessary for me to tame the dog before he became aggressive.)

  2. Je souhaitais que tu apprivoises les oiseaux sauvages pour qu’ils puissent vivre en liberté. (I wished for you to tame the wild birds so they could live in freedom.)

  3. Il était important que nous apprivoisions nos peurs avant de sauter en parachute. (It was important for us to tame our fears before jumping out of the plane.)

In all of these examples, apprivoiser is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a desired or imagined action, which may or may not have been realized in reality.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je apprivoisasse Si j’avais un animal, je l’apprivoisasse. If I had an animal, I would tame it.
tu apprivoisasses Si tu apprivoisasses plus d’animaux, tu serais un dresseur. If you tamed more animals, you would be a trainer.
il apprivoisât Il serait plus heureux s’il apprivoisât les lions. He would be happier if he tamed lions.
elle apprivoisât Elle serait moins craintive si elle apprivoisât les serpents. She would be less fearful if she tamed snakes.
on apprivoisât On pourrait apprivoiser les oiseaux s’ils étaient plus calmes. We could tame birds if they were calmer.
nous apprivoisassions Si nous apprivoisassions des animaux sauvages, ils deviendraient dociles. If we tamed wild animals, they would become docile.
vous apprivoisassiez Si vous apprivoisassiez plus d’animaux, vous seriez un dresseur renommé. If you tamed more animals, you would be a renowned trainer.
ils apprivoisassent S’ils apprivoisassent les bêtes sauvages, ils pourraient travailler au cirque. If they tamed wild animals, they could work at the circus.
elles apprivoisassent Si elles apprivoisassent les crocodiles, elles pourraient les caresser. If they tamed crocodiles, they could pet them.

Other Conjugations for Apprivoiser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb apprivoiser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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