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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb attester

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The English translation of the French verb attester is “to attest” or “to certify.” The infinitive form of attester is pronounced “ah-teh-stay.”

The word attester comes from the Latin verb attestari, which means “to testify” or “to bear witness.” It entered the French language in the 16th century and has been used in various legal and administrative contexts to refer to the act of providing proof or testimonial of something.

In everyday French, attester is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express doubt, possibility, or hypothetical situations. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que j’atteste ces documents avant de les envoyer. (It was necessary for me to attest these documents before sending them.)
  2. Je souhaitais que vous attestiez ma bonne conduite auprès de mes parents. (I wished for you to attest my good behavior to my parents.)
  3. On aurait cru qu’il allait attester sa fidélité, mais il a finalement changé d’avis. (We would have thought he was going to attest his loyalty, but he ultimately changed his mind.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je attestasse Si j’étais témoin, je attestasse tout. If I were a witness, I would attest everything.
tu attestasses Si tu attestasses la lettre, elle serait valide. If you attested the letter, it would be valid.
il attestât Il serait content si il attestât ses diplômes. He would be happy if he attested his diplomas.
elle attestât Elle serait satisfaite si elle attestât sa déclaration. She would be satisfied if she attested her statement.
on attestât Si on attestât la vérité, on serait plus crédible. If one attested the truth, one would be more credible.
nous attestassions Si nous attestassions notre présence, on n’aurait pas de problème. If we attested our presence, we wouldn’t have any problems.
vous attestassiez Si vous attestassiez votre innocence, vous seriez acquitté. If you attested your innocence, you would be acquitted.
ils attestassent S’ils attestassent leur identité, ils pourraient entrer. If they attested their identity, they could enter.
elles attestassent Si elles attestassent leur connaissance, on leur donnerait du crédit. If they attested their knowledge, they would be given credit.

Other Conjugations for Attester.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb attester
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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