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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb argotiser

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The English translation of the French verb argotiser is “to use slang” or “to speak in slang.” The infinitive form, argotiser, is pronounced “ar-goh-tee-zay.”

The word argot comes from the French word “argo,” meaning “thieves’ slang.” It originated in the 17th century and was used by criminals and outcasts as a secret language to communicate with each other. Over time, the term argot has evolved to refer to any type of informal, specialized language or jargon used within a particular group or community.

In everyday French, argotiser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in this tense, with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait qu’il argotisât pour être accepté par le groupe. (He had to use slang to be accepted by the group.)
  2. Nous préférions que nos enfants n’argotisent pas entre eux. (We preferred that our children didn’t use slang among themselves.)
  3. Elle se demandait si les étudiants argotisaient toujours autant qu’elle le faisait à leur âge. (She wondered if students still used as much slang as she did at their age.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je argotisasse Je serais content si je argotisasse avec toi. I would be happy if I argotized with you.
tu argotisasses Si tu argotisasses avec nous, ce serait amusant. If you argotized with us, it would be fun.
il argotisât S’il argotisât moins, il serait plus compréhensible. If he used less slang, he would be more understandable.
elle argotisât Elle serait surprise si elle argotisât avec eux. She would be surprised if she used slang with them.
on argotisât Si on argotisât plus, on se ferait remarquer. If one used more slang, one would stand out.
nous argotisassions Si nous argotisassions tout le temps, on ne comprendrait pas. If we used slang all the time, we wouldn’t understand.
vous argotisassiez Si vous argotisassiez moins, vous seriez plus polis. If you used less slang, you would be more polite.
ils argotisassent S’ils argotisassent ensemble, ça serait difficile à comprendre. If they used slang together, it would be hard to understand.
elles argotisassent Si elles argotisassent en public, elles passeraient pour impolies. If they used slang in public, they would be seen as impolite.

Other Conjugations for Argotiser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb argotiser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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