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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bailler

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The English translation of the French verb bailler is “to yawn.” It is pronounced as “bai-ye” in the infinitive form.

The verb bailler comes from the Latin verb “băliāre,” meaning “to open one’s mouth wide.” It is most commonly used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express doubt, desire, or a hypothetical situation in the past.

Example 1:
J’avais peur qu’il baillât pendant la réunion.
(I was afraid that he would yawn during the meeting.)

Example 2:
Je cherchais un moyen pour qu’elle ne baillât plus pendant les cours.
(I was looking for a way for her to stop yawning during class.)

Example 3:
Il fallait que je leur expliquât que c’était impoli de bailler sans se couvrir la bouche.
(I had to explain to them that it was impolite to yawn without covering their mouth.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bailasse J’aurais moins sommeil si je bailasse moins. I would be less sleepy if I yawned less.
tu baillasses Si tu ne baillasses pas, tu ne serais pas fatigué. If you didn’t yawn, you wouldn’t be tired.
il baillât Je serais plus concentré si il baillât moins. I would be more focused if he didn’t yawn.
elle baillât Elle ne bâillerait pas si elle s’endormait tôt. She wouldn’t yawn if she went to bed early.
on baillât Il est contagieux, si on baille, on baille tous. It’s contagious, if one yawns, everyone yawns.
nous baillassions Si nous baillassions tout le temps, ça serait ennuyeux. If we yawned all the time, it would be boring.
vous baillassiez Si vous baillassiez autant que moi, on serait tous endormis. If you yawned as much as me, we would all be asleep.
ils baillassent Si ils ne baillassent pas autant, ils seraient plus alertes. If they didn’t yawn as much, they would be more alert.
elles baillassent Si elles me voient baillasser, elles vont aussi baillasser. If they see me yawning, they will also yawn.

Other Conjugations for Bailler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bailler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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