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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb assécher

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The English translation of the French verb assécher is “to dry up” or “to drain.” It is pronounced “ah-seh-shay.”

Assécher comes from the Old French word “sechier” which means “to dry.” It is derived from the Latin word “siccāre” meaning “to make dry.”

Assécher is most often used in every day French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a conditional action or situation in the past. This tense is formed by using the present subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” followed by the past participle of the verb.

Examples:

  1. Il fallait que nous asséchions le lac avant que la saison des pluies n’arrive. (We had to dry up the lake before the rainy season came.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu asséchasses le marais pour éviter les moustiques. (I wished for you to dry up the marsh to avoid the mosquitoes.)
  3. Il était nécessaire que les agriculteurs asséchent les champs avant de commencer la récolte. (It was necessary for the farmers to drain the fields before starting the harvest.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je asséchasse Si j’avais du temps, je asséchasse la rivière. If I had time, I would dry up the river.
tu asséchasses Si tu avais un ventilateur, tu asséchasses tes cheveux plus vite. If you had a fan, you would dry your hair faster.
il asséchât Il serait content si il asséchât la mare. He would be happy if he dried up the pond.
elle asséchât Elle serait surprise si elle asséchât la piscine. She would be surprised if she drained the pool.
on asséchât Si on asséchât le sol, les plantes mourraient. If one dried up the soil, the plants would die.
nous asséchassions Si nous asséchassions le lac, nous pourrions construire. If we drained the lake, we could build.
vous asséchassiez Si vous asséchassiez vos vêtements, vous pourriez les porter demain. If you dried your clothes, you could wear them tomorrow.
ils asséchassent S’ils asséchassent les marais, ils pourraient y cultiver. If they dried up the marshes, they could cultivate there.
elles asséchassent Si elles asséchassent le fleuve, les poissons mourraient. If they dried up the river, the fish would die.

Other Conjugations for Assécher.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb assécher
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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