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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb babiller

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The English translation of the French verb babiller is “to babble” or “to chatter”. The infinitive form of babiller is pronounced as “bah-bee-yay” with the stress on the first syllable.

The word babiller comes from the Latin word “babulus” which means “stammerer” or “stutterer”. It was first used in French in the 12th century and was often associated with the sounds made by infants and young children.

In everyday French, the verb babiller is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or desired action in the past. It is often used to describe something that someone wanted or wished to do in the past but was unable to.

Example 1:
J’étais triste que tu ne babillasses pas avec moi hier soir.
English translation: I was sad that you didn’t babble with me last night.

Example 2:
Elle aurait aimé que l’enfant babillât plus souvent.
English translation: She would have liked the child to babble more often.

Example 3:
Il était heureux que la petite fille babillât tout le temps.
English translation: He was happy that the little girl was babbling all the time.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je babillasse Si j’étais avec eux, je babillasse sans arrêt. If I were with them, I would chatter non-stop.
tu babillasses Si tu t’ennuies, tu babillasses pour te distraire. If you’re bored, you chatter to distract yourself.
il babillât Il serait surpris si il babillât avec ses amis. He would be surprised if he chatted with his friends.
elle babillât Si elle babillât moins, elle écouterait mieux. If she chattered less, she would listen better.
on babillât Si on babillât pendant le film, on raterait l’intrigue. If one chattered during the movie, one would miss the plot.
nous babillassions Si nous babillassions ensemble, on se comprendrait mieux. If we chattered together, we would understand each other better.
vous babillassiez Si vous babillassiez moins fort, on pourrait entendre le professeur. If you chattered less loudly, we could hear the teacher.
ils babillassent S’ils babillassent plus lentement, je les comprendrais mieux. If they chattered more slowly, I would understand them better.
elles babillassent Si elles babillassent toute la soirée, je serais fatiguée. If they chattered all evening, I would be tired.

Other Conjugations for Babiller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb babiller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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