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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb assener

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The English translation of the French verb assener is “to strike” or “to pound.” The infinitive form is pronounced as ah-suh-nay.

The word “assener” comes from the Old French word “assenir,” meaning “to strengthen.” It is most often used in everyday French to describe a forceful or violent action, either physical or metaphorical.

In the subjonctif imparfait tense, assener is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the conjunction “que” to introduce a dependent clause.

Example 1: Il fallait qu’il m’assène un coup pour que je me réveille. (He had to strike me for me to wake up.)
Example 2: Je craignais qu’elle ne m’assène ses critiques acerbes. (I feared she would hit me with her sharp criticisms.)
Example 3: Il était possible qu’ils nous assènent une défaite cuisante. (It was possible that they would deal us a crushing defeat.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je assenasse Il serait étonné si je l’assenasse. He would be surprised if I struck him.
tu assenasses Si tu assenasses plus fort, tu pourrais gagner. If you struck harder, you could win.
il assenât Je comprendrais mieux si il assenât plus clairement. I would understand better if he struck more clearly.
elle assenât Elle serait blessée si elle assenât trop fort. She would be hurt if she struck too hard.
on assenât Si on assenât juste, on pourrait gagner. If one struck accurately, one could win.
nous assenassions Si nous assenassions souvent, nous deviendrions plus forts. If we struck often, we would become stronger.
vous assenassiez Si vous assenassiez précisément, vous gagneriez plus facilement. If you struck precisely, you would win more easily.
ils assenassent S’ils assenassent ensemble, ils seraient invincibles. If they struck together, they would be invincible.
elles assenassent Si elles assenassent mieux, elles pourraient vaincre. If they struck better, they could defeat.

Other Conjugations for Assener.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb assener
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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