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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb assister

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The English translation of the French verb assister is “to assist” or “to attend.” It is pronounced as ah-see-stay.

The word assister comes from the Latin word “assistere,” meaning “to stand by.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and has been used in various forms since then.

In everyday French, the verb assister is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a wish, doubt, or hypothetical situation in the past. It is formed by using the subjunctive mood of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” + the past participle of assister.

Here are three simple examples of assister in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their English translations:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu m’assistes à mon examen. – I would have liked for you to assist me at my exam.

  2. Il fallait que nous t’assistions dans cette épreuve difficile. – It was necessary for us to assist you in this difficult ordeal.

  3. Si elle avait assisté à la réunion, elle aurait compris les enjeux. – If she had attended the meeting, she would have understood the stakes.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je assistasse Je serais ravi si je t’assistasse à ta réunion. I would be happy if I assisted you in your meeting.
tu assistasses Si tu étais là, tu assistasses à ma présentation. If you were here, you would attend my presentation.
il assistât Il serait plus efficace si il assistât aux cours. It would be more efficient if he attended the classes.
elle assistât Elle serait plus intéressée si elle assistât à la conférence. She would be more interested if she attended the conference.
on assistât Si on assistât plus souvent, on serait plus informé. If one attended more often, one would be more informed.
nous assistassions Si nous assistassions ensemble, ça serait plus amusant. If we attended together, it would be more fun.
vous assistassiez Si vous assistassiez plus tôt, vous ne seriez pas en retard. If you attended earlier, you wouldn’t be late.
ils assistassent S’ils assistassent aux réunions, ils seraient plus impliqués. If they attended meetings, they would be more involved.
elles assistassent Si elles assistassent aux événements, elles apprendraient plus de choses. If they attended events, they would learn more things.

Other Conjugations for Assister.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb assister
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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