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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bichoter

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The English translation of the French verb bichoter is “to fuss over.” It is pronounced as “bee-sho-teh.”

The origin of the word bichoter can be traced back to the Middle French word “bichos,” meaning “to care for” or “to cherish.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a literary tense used to express doubt, wishes, or hypothetical situations in the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense with their English translations:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu ne bichotes pas autant. (I wished that you wouldn’t fuss over so much.)
  2. Il était important qu’elle ne bichotât pas sur les détails. (It was important that she didn’t fuss over the details.)
  3. Nous aurions aimé que vous ne bichotiez pas autant de temps sur cette tâche. (We would have liked for you not to fuss over this task for so long.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bichotais Si je bichotais régulièrement, mes plantes seraient belles. If I trimmed regularly, my plants would be beautiful.
tu bichotais Si tu bichotais mieux, tu pourrais gagner plus d’argent. If you cut better, you could earn more money.
il bichotait Si il bichotait plus soigneusement, il n’aurait pas de plantes mortes. If he trimmed more carefully, he wouldn’t have dead plants.
elle bichotait Si elle bichotait moins, elle serait moins fatiguée. If she cut less, she would be less tired.
on bichotait Si on bichotait régulièrement, on aurait un beau jardin. If one trimmed regularly, one would have a beautiful garden.
nous bichotions Si nous bichotions ensemble, ça serait plus agréable. If we trimmed together, it would be more pleasant.
vous bichotiez Si vous bichotiez plus souvent, vos plantes seraient en meilleure santé. If you trimmed more often, your plants would be healthier.
ils bichotaient S’ils bichotaient plus longtemps, ils auraient fini plus tôt. If they trimmed for longer, they would have finished earlier.
elles bichotaient Si elles bichotaient moins fort, vous pourriez vous concentrer. If they trimmed less loudly, you could concentrate.

Other Conjugations for Bichoter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bichoter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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