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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb baliser

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of baliser. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of baliser is “to mark” or “to signal.” It is pronounced as “bah-lee-zay.”

The language origin of baliser comes from the French word “balise,” meaning “sign” or “marker.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples of baliser in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations are:

  1. J’aurais balisé le chemin si j’avais su que tu viendrais. (I would have marked the path if I had known you were coming.)
  2. Il fallait que tu balises ton parcours avant de partir. (You had to mark your route before leaving.)
  3. Nous souhaitions que les autorités balisent la zone dangereuse. (We wished for the authorities to mark the dangerous area.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je balisasse Je préférerais que je balisasse la route moi-même. I would prefer to mark the road myself.
tu balisasses Si tu balisasses le sentier, nous ne nous perdrions pas. If you marked the trail, we wouldn’t get lost.
il balisât Il serait utile qu’il balisât le chemin pour les autres. It would be useful for him to mark the path for others.
elle balisât Elle serait contente si elle balisât la route avant le voyage. She would be happy if she marked the road before the trip.
on balisât Si on balisât la piste, les coureurs seraient plus rapides. If one marked the track, the runners would be faster.
nous balisassions Si nous balisassions le parcours demain, ça serait prêt pour la course. If we marked the course tomorrow, it would be ready for the race.
vous balisassiez Si vous balisassiez les sentiers, les randonnées seraient plus sûres. If you marked the trails, the hikes would be safer.
ils balisassent Je serais rassuré si ils balisassent le chemin. I would feel reassured if they marked the path.
elles balisassent Si elles balisassent le parcours, nous serions moins perdus. If they marked the course, we would be less lost.

Other Conjugations for Baliser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb baliser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the baliser Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply