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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb balayer

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The English translation of the French verb balayer is “to sweep”. It is pronounced as bah-lay-ay.

The word balayer comes from the Old French word balaier, which is derived from the Latin word balare, meaning “to sweep”. It is most often used in everyday French to describe the action of sweeping or cleaning a surface.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, balayer is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is formed by using the imperfect subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb avoir or être, followed by the past participle balayé.

Here are 3 simple examples of its usage in this tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je balayasse avant que les invités arrivent. (I had to sweep before the guests arrived.)
  2. Si tu balayais plus souvent, ta maison serait plus propre. (If you swept more often, your house would be cleaner.)
  3. Il était temps que nous balayassions la terrasse après la fête. (It was time for us to sweep the terrace after the party.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je balayasse Si je travaillais plus, je balayasse la maison tous les jours. If I worked more, I would sweep the house every day.
tu balayasses Si tu étais plus organisé, tu balayasses plus souvent. If you were more organized, you would sweep more often.
il balayât Il serait content si il balayât avant l’arrivée des invités. He would be happy if he swept before the guests arrived.
elle balayât Elle serait surprise si elle balayât tous les coins. She would be surprised if she swept all the corners.
on balayât Si on balayât ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If one swept together, it would be faster.
nous balayassions Si nous balayassions régulièrement, la maison serait propre. If we swept regularly, the house would be clean.
vous balayassiez Si vous balayassiez plus discrètement, on ne vous entendrait pas. If you swept more discreetly, we wouldn’t hear you.
ils balayassent S’ils balayassent le jardin, il serait plus joli. If they swept the garden, it would be prettier.
elles balayassent Si elles balayassent le sol, il serait brillant. If they swept the floor, it would be shiny.

Other Conjugations for Balayer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb balayer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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