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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb argenter

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The English translation of the French verb argenter is “to silver” or “to plate with silver.” It is pronounced “ar-zhan-tay” in its infinitive form.

The word argenter is derived from the Latin word argentum, meaning silver. In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with the respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je l’argente pour qu’il soit plus beau. (I needed to silver it so it would be more beautiful.)

  2. Il était possible que tu argentes la vaisselle pour la grande occasion. (It was possible that you silvered the dishes for the big occasion.)

  3. Elle souhaitait que nous argentions les couverts avant le dîner. (She wished that we silvered the cutlery before dinner.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je argentasse Si j’avais plus d’argent, je argentasse plus de bijoux. If I had more money, I would silver more jewelry.
tu argentasses Si tu trouvais du travail, tu argentasses beaucoup de pièces. If you found a job, you would silver many coins.
il argentât Il serait fier si il argentât toutes ses couverts. He would be proud if he silvered all his silverware.
elle argentât Si elle avait des talents, elle argentât ses talents. If she had talents, she would showcase her talents.
on argentât Si on argenât tout le couvert, on le verra mieux. If one silvered the whole utensil, one would see it better.
nous argentassions Si nous argentassions ensemble, nous ferions des économies. If we silvered together, we would save money.
vous argentassiez Si vous argentassiez plus souvent, vous auriez une collection brillante. If you silvered more often, you would have a shiny collection.
ils argentassent S’ils argentassent plus d’objets, ils auraient plus de richesses. If they silvered more objects, they would have more wealth.
elles argentassent Si elles argentassent leurs bagues, elles brilleront plus. If they silvered their rings, they would shine more.

Other Conjugations for Argenter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb argenter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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