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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb baser

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The English translation of the French verb baser is “to base.” It is pronounced as “bah-zay” in its infinitive form.

Baser comes from the Old French word “baisier” meaning “to kiss” and is derived from the Latin word “basium.” In modern French, it is primarily used in the sense of “to base” or “to found.”

In everyday French, baser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation in the past. This tense is formed by using the imperfect subjunctive of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” with the past participle of baser.

Examples:

  1. Je craignais qu’ils ne basassent leur théorie sur des hypothèses non vérifiées. (I was afraid that they were basing their theory on unverified assumptions.)
  2. Il était important que nous basassions notre décision sur des faits concrets. (It was important that we based our decision on concrete facts.)
  3. Je souhaitais que tu basasses tes opinions sur des faits et non pas sur des rumeurs. (I wished that you based your opinions on facts and not on rumors.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je basasse Si j’étais artiste, je basasse mes œuvres sur la nature. If I were an artist, I would base my works on nature.
tu basasses Si tu étudies l’histoire, tu basasses tes arguments sur des faits. If you study history, you would base your arguments on facts.
il basât Il serait fier si il basât ses décisions sur la raison. He would be proud if he based his decisions on reason.
elle basât Elle serait satisfaite si elle basât ses choix sur ses valeurs. She would be satisfied if she based her choices on her values.
on basât Si on basât notre économie sur l’agriculture, on serait plus résilients. If one based our economy on agriculture, we would be more resilient.
nous basassions Si nous basassions nos projets sur une étude de marché, nous réussirions mieux. If we based our projects on market research, we would succeed better.
vous basassiez Si vous basassiez vos arguments sur des preuves, vous convaincriez plus facilement. If you based your arguments on evidence, you would convince more easily.
ils basassent S’ils basassent leur politique sur des valeurs morales, ils gagneraient plus de soutien. If they based their politics on moral values, they would gain more support.
elles basassent Si elles basassent leurs opinions sur des faits, elles seraient plus crédibles. If they based their opinions on facts, they would be more credible.

Other Conjugations for Baser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb baser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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