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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bâtonner

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The English translation of the French verb bâtonner is “to beat” or “to strike with a stick or baton.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “baa-ton-nay.”

The language origin of bâtonner comes from the French word “bâton,” which means “stick” or “baton.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a past tense used to express uncertainty or doubt.

Three simple examples of bâtonner in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je bâtonne le tapis pour qu’il retrouve sa forme. (It was necessary for me to beat the rug so that it could regain its shape.)

  2. Je préférais que tu bâtonnes les oeufs avant de les mettre dans la poêle. (I preferred that you beat the eggs before putting them in the pan.)

  3. Il était temps que nous bâtonnions les arbres fruitiers pour favoriser leur croissance. (It was time for us to beat the fruit trees to promote their growth.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bâtonnasse Si je réussissais, je bâtonnasse plus. If I succeeded, I would use more force.
tu bâtonnasses Si tu avais peur, tu bâtonnasses pour te défendre. If you were scared, you would use a stick to defend yourself.
il bâtonnât S’il était violent, il bâtonnât pour se faire entendre. If he was violent, he would use a stick to make himself heard.
elle bâtonnât Si elle était en colère, elle bâtonnât pour se calmer. If she was angry, she would use a stick to calm down.
on bâtonnât Si on était en forêt, on bâtonnât pour se déplacer. If one was in the forest, one would use a stick to move around.
nous bâtonnassions Si nous devions nous défendre, nous bâtonnassions sans hésiter. If we had to defend ourselves, we would use a stick without hesitation.
vous bâtonnassiez Si vous vouliez vous faire respecter, vous bâtonnassiez plus fort. If you wanted to be respected, you would use a stick more forcefully.
ils bâtonnassent S’ils avaient besoin d’aide, ils bâtonnassent pour se faire remarquer. If they needed help, they would use a stick to get noticed.
elles bâtonnassent Si elles étaient fatiguées, elles bâtonnassent pour continuer. If they were tired, they would use a stick to keep going.

Other Conjugations for Bâtonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bâtonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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