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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bâcher

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The English translation of the French verb bâcher is “to cover” or “to tarp” in English. The infinitive form is pronounced as “ba-shay.”

The verb bâcher comes from the Old French word “bâcher,” which means “to cover.” It originated from the verb “bachier,” which means “to cover with a cloth.” Bâcher is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is the past subjunctive tense used to express actions or events that are hypothetical, uncertain, or contrary to reality.

Three simple examples of bâcher in Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je bâchasse la voiture pour la protéger de la pluie. (It was necessary for me to cover the car to protect it from the rain.)
  2. Nous souhaitions que vous bâchiez le toit avant qu’il ne pleuve. (We wanted you to tarp the roof before it rained.)
  3. Il était important que vous bâchiez les meubles avant de partir en vacances. (It was important for you to cover the furniture before going on vacation.)

Overall, bâcher is commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express the need or desire for something to be covered or protected in a hypothetical or uncertain situation.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bâchasse Si j’avais eu plus de temps, je bâchasse la leçon. If I had more time, I would skim over the lesson.
tu bâchasses Si tu bâchasses moins, tu comprendrais mieux. If you skimped less, you would understand better.
il bâchât Si il bâchât son travail, il serait renvoyé. If he slacked off at his job, he would be fired.
elle bâchât Si elle bâchât l’examen, elle serait déçue. If she botched the exam, she would be disappointed.
on bâchât Si on bâchât le projet, on devrait recommencer. If one messed up the project, one would have to start over.
nous bâchassions Si nous bâchassions moins, nous réussirions mieux. If we skimped less, we would do better.
vous bâchassiez Si vous bâchassiez le texte, vous comprendriez moins. If you skimmed over the text, you would understand less.
ils bâchassent S’ils bâchassent l’entrevue, ils ne seraient pas embauchés. If they botched the interview, they would not be hired.
elles bâchassent Si elles bâchassent l’examen, elles devraient étudier plus. If they botched the exam, they would have to study more.

Other Conjugations for Bâcher.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bâcher
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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