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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bégueter

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The English translation of the French verb bégueter is “to bleat” or “to baa”. It is pronounced as “beh-guh-tey”.

The origin of bégueter can be traced back to the Old French word “begueter” which means “to bleat”. It comes from the onomatopoeic sound of a sheep’s baaing. In modern everyday French, bégueter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que tu béguetasses plus fort pour que je t’entende. (I needed you to bleat louder so that I could hear you.)

  2. Je souhaitais que les moutons béguetassent pour me rappeler mon enfance à la campagne. (I wished the sheep would bleat to remind me of my childhood in the countryside.)

  3. Il était possible que les brebis béguetassent toute la nuit sans que nous puissions dormir. (It was possible that the ewes would bleat all night without us being able to sleep.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bégueûtasse Si j’avais peur, je bégueûtasse. If I were scared, I would stammer.
tu bégueûtasses Si tu étais timide, tu bégueûtasses. If you were shy, you would stammer.
il bégueûtât Il serait touché s’il bégueûtât devant elle. He would be touched if he stammered in front of her.
elle bégueûtât Elle ne serait pas gênée si elle bégueûtât. She wouldn’t be embarrassed if she stammered.
on bégueûtât Si on bégueûtât moins, on parlerait plus clairement. If one stammered less, one would speak more clearly.
nous bégueûtassions Si nous bégueûtassions ensemble, ça serait amusant. If we stammered together, it would be fun.
vous bégueûtassiez Si vous ne bégueûtassiez pas, vous parleriez mieux. If you didn’t stammer, you would speak better.
ils bégueûtassent S’ils bégueûtassent devant tout le monde, ça serait embarrassant. If they stammered in front of everyone, it would be embarrassing.
elles bégueûtassent Si elles bégueûtassent ensemble, ça serait difficile à comprendre. If they stammered together, it would be hard to understand.

Other Conjugations for Bégueter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bégueter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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