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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb béer

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English translation: to gape, to gawk, to stare open-mouthed
Pronunciation: [be-e]

Language origin:
The verb béer comes from the Old French word “baer”, which meant “to open one’s mouth”. It is ultimately derived from the Latin word “bāri”, which meant “to gape”. Over time, the meaning shifted to “to gawk or stare open-mouthed”.

Usage in Subjonctif Imparfait tense:
The Subjonctif Imparfait is used to express actions that are uncertain or hypothetical in the past. In everyday French, béer in this tense is often used to describe someone’s surprised or stunned reaction to something.

Examples:

  1. Il était tellement choqué qu’il béât pendant des heures.
    (He was so shocked that he gaped for hours.)

  2. Elle béait devant la beauté du paysage.
    (She gawked in front of the beauty of the landscape.)

  3. Il béât d’admiration en regardant le travail de son collègue.
    (He stared open-mouthed in admiration while watching his colleague’s work.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bèasse Si seulement je bèasse mieux, je pourrais comprendre. If only I was gaping better, I could understand.
tu bèasses Si tu bèasses moins, tu comprendrais mieux. If you gaped less, you would understand better.
il bèât Si il bèât plus longtemps, il comprendrait mieux. If he gaped longer, he would understand better.
elle bèât Si elle bèât plus souvent, elle pourrait comprendre. If she gaped more often, she could understand.
on bèât Si on bèât moins fort, on n’aurait pas aussi mal à la tête. If one gaped less strongly, one wouldn’t have such a headache.
nous bèassions Si nous bèassions moins, nous pourrions nous concentrer. If we gaped less, we could concentrate.
vous bèassiez Si vous bèassiez mieux, vous comprendriez plus facilement. If you gaped better, you would understand more easily.
ils bèassent Ils seraient moins fatigués si ils bèassent moins. They would be less tired if they gaped less.
elles bèassent Si elles bèassent moins fort, elles pourraient mieux entendre. If they gaped less loudly, they could hear better.

Other Conjugations for Béer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb béer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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