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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb approprier

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The English translation of the French verb approprier is “to appropriate” or “to make one’s own.” The infinitive form is pronounced “a-pro-pree-ay.”

The word approprier comes from the Latin verb “apropriare,” meaning “to make one’s own.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a past subjunctive tense used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que j’appropriasse ces livres pour les étudier. (I had to appropriate these books to study them.)
  2. Nous cherchions un moyen de nous approprier cette idée. (We were looking for a way to appropriate this idea.)
  3. Je souhaitais que tu t’appropriasses ces souvenirs pour les garder précieusement. (I wished that you would appropriate these memories to keep them preciously.)

In all of these examples, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express a hypothetical action in the past, making the verb “approprier” have a more tentative or uncertain meaning.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je m’appropriasse Je serais content si je m’appropriasse cette idée. I would be happy if I appropriated this idea.
tu t’appropriasses Si tu t’appropriasses plus de responsabilités, tu grandirais. If you took on more responsibilities, you would grow.
il s’appropriât Il serait étonné si il s’appropriât bien cette culture. He would be surprised if he understood this culture well.
elle s’appropriât Elle serait heureuse si elle s’appropriât les coutumes locales. She would be happy if she embraced the local customs.
on s’appropriât Si on s’appropriât cette attitude, on réussirait. If one adopted this attitude, one would succeed.
nous nous appropriassions Si nous nous appropriassions ce projet, nous en serions fiers. If we took ownership of this project, we would be proud of it.
vous vous appropriassiez Si vous vous appropriassiez cette occasion, vous en profiterez. If you took advantage of this opportunity, you would benefit.
ils s’appropriassent S’ils s’appropriassent cette technique, ils auraient plus de succès. If they adopted this technique, they would have more success.
elles s’appropriassent Si elles s’appropriassent cette vision, elles transformeraient leur vie. If they embraced this vision, they would transform their lives.

Other Conjugations for Approprier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb approprier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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