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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb arpéger

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The English translation of the French verb arpéger is “to arpeggiate.” It is pronounced as “ahr-pey-zhey.”

Arpéger comes from the French word “arpège,” which means “arpeggio.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of arpéger in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Je préférais que tu arpégeais les accords plutôt que de les jouer en bloc. (I preferred that you arpeggiated the chords rather than playing them in block.)

  2. Il était important que nous arpégions la mélodie avant de l’interpréter. (It was important that we arpeggiated the melody before performing it.)

  3. J’aimerais que vous arpégiez ces accords avec plus de précision. (I would like you to arpeggiate these chords with more precision.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je arpégeasse Si je jouais de la guitare, je arpégeasse la chanson. If I played the guitar, I would strum the song.
tu arpégeasses Si tu écoutais attentivement, tu arpégeasses mieux. If you listened carefully, you would strum better.
il arpégeât Il serait surpris si il arpégeât le morceau. He would be surprised if he strummed the piece.
elle arpégeât Elle serait impressionnée si elle arpégeât la mélodie. She would be impressed if she strummed the melody.
on arpégeât Si on arpégeât plus doucement, on créerait une ambiance calme. If one strummed more softly, one would create a calm atmosphere.
nous arpégeassions Si nous arpégeassions en harmonie, notre musique serait magnifique. If we strummed in harmony, our music would be beautiful.
vous arpégeassiez Si vous arpégeassiez plus fort, vous attireriez plus d’attention. If you strummed louder, you would attract more attention.
ils arpégeassent S’ils arpégeassent plus rapidement, ils joueraient mieux ensemble. If they strummed faster, they would play better together.
elles arpégeassent Si elles arpégeassent dans le même tempo, ça sonnerait mieux. If they strummed in the same tempo, it would sound better.

Other Conjugations for Arpéger.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb arpéger
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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