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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb arroser

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The English translation of the French verb arroser is “to water” or “to sprinkle.” The infinitive form is pronounced “ah-roh-zay.”

The word arroser comes from the Old French word “arroser” which means “to moisten” or “to water.” It is derived from the Latin word “rorare” meaning “to sprinkle.”

In everyday French, arroser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with another verb in the main clause, such as “vouloir” (to want) or “espérer” (to hope). Here are three examples of its usage in this tense with their English translations:

  1. Je voulais que tu arroses les plantes avant ton départ. (I wanted you to water the plants before your departure.)
  2. Nous espérions que les enfants arrosent le jardin tous les jours. (We hoped that the children would water the garden every day.)
  3. Il fallait que j’arrosasse les fleurs avant qu’il ne pleuve. (I had to water the flowers before it rained.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je arrosasse Si j’étais un jardinier, je arrosasse chaque matin. If I were a gardener, I would water every morning.
tu arrossasses Si tu avais plus de temps, tu arrossasses plus souvent. If you had more time, you would water more often.
il arrossât Il serait heureux si il arrossât les fleurs. He would be happy if he watered the flowers.
elle arrossât Elle serait fière si elle arrossât le jardin elle-même. She would be proud if she watered the garden herself.
on arrossât Si on arrossât régulièrement, les plantes seraient en bonne santé. If one watered regularly, the plants would be healthy.
nous arrossassions Si nous arrossassions le soir, les plantes survivraient. If we watered in the evening, the plants would survive.
vous arrossassiez Si vous arrossassiez les plantes plus souvent, elles seraient plus belles. If you watered the plants more often, they would be more beautiful.
ils arrossassent S’ils arrossassent ensemble, ça serait plus rapide. If they watered together, it would be faster.
elles arrossassent Si elles arrossassent le jardin, il serait verdoyant. If they watered the garden, it would be lush.

Other Conjugations for Arroser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb arroser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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