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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb arpenter

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The English translation of the French verb arpenter is “to measure” or “to survey.” It is pronounced “ahr-pehn-teh.”

The word arpenter comes from the Latin word “arpendere,” meaning “to measure or weigh out.” It entered the French language in the 13th century and has been used to refer to measuring or surveying ever since.

In everyday French, the verb arpenter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action that took place in the past. It is often used after certain conjunctions, such as “si” (if) or “bien que” (although).

Here are three examples of how the verb arpenter is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense in everyday French:

  1. “Je lui conseillais d’arpenter le terrain avant de prendre une décision.” (I advised him to measure the field before making a decision.)

  2. “Si j’avais arpenté la zone plus tôt, j’aurais peut-être trouvé des indices.” (If I had surveyed the area earlier, I might have found some clues.)

  3. “Bien que tu arpentasses la forêt toute la journée, tu ne trouverais pas cet arbre.” (Although you were to measure the forest all day, you wouldn’t find that tree.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je arpentasse Si j’avais du temps, je arpentasse la ville. If I had time, I would walk around the city.
tu arpentasses Si tu arpentasses plus rapidement, tu finirais plus tôt. If you walked faster, you would finish earlier.
il arpentât Il serait plus efficace si il arpentât droit. It would be more efficient if he walked straight.
elle arpentât Elle serait fatiguée si elle arpentât plus longtemps. She would be tired if she walked longer.
on arpentât Si on arpentât la forêt, on trouverait des champignons. If one walked through the forest, one would find mushrooms.
nous arpentions Si nous arpentions ensemble, nous trouverions plus vite. If we walked together, we would find faster.
vous arpentassiez Si vous arpentassiez la campagne, vous verriez les vaches. If you walked through the countryside, you would see the cows.
ils arpentassent S’ils arpentassent plus souvent, ils découvriraient plus. If they walked more often, they would discover more.
elles arpentassent Si elles arpentassent plus doucement, elles apprécieraient plus. If they walked more gently, they would appreciate more.

Other Conjugations for Arpenter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb arpenter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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