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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb approuver

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The English translation of the French verb approuver is “to approve.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “ah-proo-vay.”

The word approuver comes from the Old French verb “aprover,” which evolved from the Latin word “approbare,” meaning “to approve.” It is most often used in everyday French to express agreement or acceptance of something.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, approuver is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often accompanied by words like “si” (if) or “bien que” (although).

Example 1: Si j’approuvais son idée, je le soutiendrais. (If I approved of his idea, I would support him.)

Example 2: Elle se demandait si ses parents approuvaient son choix de carrière. (She wondered if her parents approved of her career choice.)

Example 3: Bien qu’il approuvât le projet, il avait des doutes sur sa faisabilité. (Although he approved of the project, he had doubts about its feasibility.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je approuvasse Je serais content si j’approuvasse sa décision. I would be happy if I approved of his decision.
tu approuvasses Si tu faisais tes devoirs, tu approuvasses ta mère. If you did your homework, you would approve of your mother.
il approuvât Il serait surpris si il approuvât leur projet. He would be surprised if he approved of their project.
elle approuvât Elle serait satisfaite si elle approuvât leur plan. She would be satisfied if she approved of their plan.
on approuvât Si on approuvât leur idée, ils seraient contents. If one approved of their idea, they would be happy.
nous approuvassions Si nous approuvassions plus souvent, tout irait mieux. If we approved more often, everything would be better.
vous approuvassiez Si vous approuvassiez ses choix, il serait plus confiant. If you approved of his choices, he would be more confident.
ils approuvassent S’ils approuvassent cette méthode, il y aurait moins d’erreurs. If they approved of this method, there would be fewer errors.
elles approuvassent Si elles approuvassent sa candidature, il serait accepté. If they approved of his candidacy, he would be accepted.

Other Conjugations for Approuver.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb approuver
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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