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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bayer

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The English translation of the French verb bayer is “to gape” or “to yawn.” It is pronounced as “bay-ay.”

The origin of the word bayer can be traced back to the Old French verb “baier,” which means “to gape” or “to open one’s mouth.” It ultimately comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *bha-, meaning “to speak” or “to say.”

In everyday French, the verb bayer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the word “que” to express a wish, desire, or doubt.

Here are three simple examples of bayer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with the respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je baiasse devant le roi. (I had to gape in front of the king.)
  2. Je souhaitais qu’il bayât de surprise. (I wished for him to yawn in surprise.)
  3. Tu doutais que le chevalier bayât du courage. (You doubted that the knight would yawn out of courage.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bayasse Si j’étais fatigué, je bayasse sans arrêt. If I were tired, I would yawn constantly.
tu bayasses Si tu n’as pas dormi, tu bayasses toute la journée. If you didn’t sleep, you would yawn all day.
il bayât Il serait poli s’il bayât discrètement. He would be polite if he yawned discreetly.
elle bayât Elle serait gênée si elle bayât aux éclats. She would be embarrassed if she burst out yawning.
on bayât Si on bayât aux corneilles, on se ferait remarquer. If one yawned loudly, one would draw attention.
nous bayassions Si nous bayassions à l’unisson, cela ferait un effet comique. If we all yawned at once, it would be comical.
vous bayassiez Si vous bayassiez en public, ça serait impoli. If you yawned in public, it would be rude.
ils bayassent S’ils bayassent moins, ils ne seraient pas fatigués. If they yawned less, they wouldn’t be tired.
elles bayassent Si elles se retenaient de bayasser, elles pourraient s’endormir. If they held back from yawning, they could fall asleep.

Other Conjugations for Bayer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bayer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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