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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb armer

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The English translation of the French verb armer is “to arm.” It is pronounced “ar-may” in its infinitive form.

The word armer comes from the Latin word armare, meaning “to arm” or “to equip.” It is a regular -er verb in French, and can be used in both transitive and reflexive forms. 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 armer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their English translations:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu t’armasses avant de partir. (I would have liked for you to arm yourself before leaving.)
  2. Il fallait que nous armions les navires pour la bataille. (We had to arm the ships for the battle.)
  3. Elle ne voulait pas que je m’armasse contre elle. (She didn’t want me to arm myself against her.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je armasse Si j’étais un soldat, je armasse tous les jours. If I were a soldier, I would arm every day.
tu armasses Si tu étais plus fort, tu armasses mieux. If you were stronger, you would arm better.
il armât Il serait plus en sécurité si il armât son arme. He would be safer if he armed his weapon.
elle armât Elle serait plus confiante si elle armât son pistolet. She would be more confident if she armed her gun.
on armât Si on armât le chien, il serait capable de se défendre. If one armed the dog, he would be able to defend himself.
nous armassions Si nous armassions notre armée, elle serait plus forte. If we armed our army, it would be stronger.
vous armassiez Si vous armassiez votre maison, elle serait mieux protégée. If you armed your house, it would be better protected.
ils armassent S’ils armassent leur navire, ils pourraient traverser l’océan. If they armed their ship, they could cross the ocean.
elles armassent Si elles armassent leur défense, elles pourraient se protéger. If they armed their defense, they would be able to protect themselves.

Other Conjugations for Armer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb armer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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