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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb assaisonner

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The English translation of the French verb assaisonner is “to season” or “to flavor.” It is pronounced as “ah-say-zoh-nay.”

The word “assaisonner” comes from the Old French word “saïson,” meaning “seasoning” or “flavor.” It is most often used in everyday French to describe the act of adding spices or herbs to food in order to enhance its taste.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, assaisonner is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used after certain conjunctions, such as “si” (if), “avant que” (before), or “à moins que” (unless).

Example 1: Si tu l’assaisonnais correctement, le plat serait parfait. (If you seasoned it correctly, the dish would be perfect.)

Example 2: Avant que je n’assaisonne la salade, vérifie si elle est assez fraîche. (Before I season the salad, check if it’s fresh enough.)

Example 3: Nous préférions que vous n’assaisonniez pas trop la viande. (We would prefer if you didn’t season the meat too much.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je assaisonasse Si j’étais chef, je assaisonasse les plats. If I were a chef, I would season the dishes.
tu assaisonasses Si tu étais plus patient, tu assaisonasses mieux. If you were more patient, you would season better.
il assaisonât Il serait content si il assaisonât bien. He would be happy if he seasoned well.
elle assaisonât Elle serait déçue si elle assaisonât mal. She would be disappointed if she seasoned poorly.
on assaisonât Si on assaisonât avec des épices, c’était meilleur. If one seasoned with spices, it was better.
nous assaisonassions Si nous assaisonassions les légumes, ils seraient plus savoureux. If we seasoned the vegetables, they would be more flavorful.
vous assaisonassiez Si vous assaisonassiez la viande, elle serait plus tendre. If you seasoned the meat, it would be more tender.
ils assaisonassent S’ils assaisonassent les poissons, ils seraient meilleurs. If they seasoned the fish, they would be better.
elles assaisonassent Si elles assaisonnaient les salades, elles seraient plus variées. If they seasoned the salads, they would be more varied.

Other Conjugations for Assaisonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb assaisonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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