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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb asphyxier

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of asphyxier. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb asphyxier is “to suffocate.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “as-fee-ksyeh.”

The word “asphyxier” comes from the Greek word “asphyktos,” meaning “to strangle.” It entered the French language in the 16th century.

In everyday French, “asphyxier” is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait (Imperfect Subjunctive) tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conditional sentences or after certain conjunctions such as “si” (if) or “bien que” (although).

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Si je n’avais pas ouvert la fenêtre, tu t’y serais asphyxié. (If I hadn’t opened the window, you would have suffocated in there.)
  2. Le docteur a dit qu’il fallait qu’il se réveille rapidement, sinon il risquait de s’asphyxier. (The doctor said he needed to wake up quickly, otherwise he could suffocate.)
  3. Bien qu’elle se soit débattue, elle s’est finalement asphyxiée avec le sac en plastique. (Although she struggled, she eventually suffocated herself with the plastic bag.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je asphyxiasse J’avais peur que je m’asphyxiasse. I was afraid that I would suffocate.
tu asphyxiasses Si tu t’approchais trop près, tu asphyxiasses. If you got too close, you would suffocate.
il asphyxiât Il se sentait malade avant qu’il asphyxiât. He felt sick before he suffocated.
elle asphyxiât Elle avait peur qu’elle s’asphyxiât dans la foule. She was afraid she would suffocate in the crowd.
on asphyxiât Si on se bouchait le nez, on asphyxiât. If one covered their nose, one would suffocate.
nous asphyxiassions Si nous n’étions pas sauvés, nous asphyxiassions. If we weren’t rescued, we would suffocate.
vous asphyxiassiez Si vous n’aviez pas de masque, vous asphyxiassiez. If you didn’t have a mask, you would suffocate.
ils asphyxiassent S’ils étaient enfermés, ils asphyxiassent. If they were locked in, they would suffocate.
elles asphyxiassent Si elles étaient dans la pièce, elles asphyxiassent. If they were in the room, they would suffocate.

Other Conjugations for Asphyxier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb asphyxier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the asphyxier Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply