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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb appuyer

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of appuyer. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

English translation:

The English translation of the French verb appuyer is “to support” or “to lean on.” The infinitive form of the verb is pronounced “ah-pu-yay.”

Language origin:
The verb appuyer comes from the Old French word “apui,” meaning “support” or “prop.” It is derived from the Latin word “appodiare,” which also means “to support.”

Usage in Subjonctif Imparfait tense:
In everyday French, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. The verb appuyer is often used in this tense to express a past action that was dependent on another event or condition.

Examples:

  1. Il fallait que j’appuyasse sur la porte pour qu’elle s’ouvre.
    (He needed me to push on the door for it to open.)
  2. Je préférais que tu appuyasses tes arguments avec des faits concrets.
    (I preferred for you to support your arguments with concrete facts.)
  3. Elle doutait que nous appuyassions sa candidature.
    (She doubted that we were supporting her candidacy.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je appuyasse Si j’étais là-bas, je appuyasse sur le bouton. If I were there, I would press the button.
tu appuyasses Si tu avais plus de force, tu appuyasses plus fort. If you had more strength, you would press harder.
il appuyât Il serait surpris si il appuyât sur le mauvais bouton. He would be surprised if he pressed the wrong button.
elle appuyât Elle comprendrait mieux si elle appuyât sur la touche “entrée”. She would understand better if she pressed the “enter” key.
on appuyât Si on appuyât sur le bouton rouge, ça ferait un bruit fort. If one pressed the red button, it would make a loud noise.
nous appuyassions Si nous appuyassions ensemble, ça serait plus facile. If we pressed together, it would be easier.
vous appuyassiez Si vous appuyassiez sur le bouton vert, ça allumerait la lumière. If you pressed the green button, it would turn on the light.
ils appuyassent S’ils appuyassent sur le mauvais bouton, ça pourrait être dangereux. If they pressed the wrong button, it could be dangerous.
elles appuyassent Si elles appuyassent trop fort, ça pourrait casser. If they pressed too hard, it could break.

Other Conjugations for Appuyer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb appuyer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the appuyer Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply