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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bidonner

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The English translation of the French verb bidonner is “to laugh uncontrollably” or “to crack up.” It is pronounced as “bee-doh-nay” in its infinitive form.

The word bidonner comes from the French word “bidon,” which means “can” or “container.” In the early 19th century, this word was used to describe someone who was drunk, as if they were filled up like a container. Over time, the word evolved to mean “to laugh” or “to have a good time.”

In everyday French, bidonner is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation in the past. It is most commonly used in spoken language among friends or in a casual setting.

Examples of bidonner in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Si tu me racontais cette histoire, je bidonnerais. (If you told me this story, I would crack up.)
  2. Nous aurions tellement bidonné si tu avais été là. (We would have laughed so much if you had been there.)
  3. Il était tellement drôle, je regrette que tu ne l’aies pas entendu. Tu aurais bien bidonné. (He was so funny, I regret that you didn’t hear him. You would have cracked up.)

English translations:

  1. If you told me this story, I would crack up.
  2. We would have laughed so much if you had been there.
  3. He was so funny, I regret that you didn’t hear him. You would have cracked up.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je biddonasse Je ne crois pas que je biddonasse I don’t think I would be mad.
tu biddonasses Si tu arrêtais de biddonasses, tu pourrais continuer ton travail. If you stopped being silly, you could continue your work.
il biddonât Si il biddonât moins, il ne se fatiguerait pas. If he were less silly, he wouldn’t get tired.
elle biddonât Elle serait plus efficace si elle biddonât moins. She would be more efficient if she were less silly.
on biddonât Si on biddonât ensemble, on rirait beaucoup. If we were silly together, we would laugh a lot.
nous biddonassions Si nous biddonassions plus souvent, nous serions plus heureux. If we were silly more often, we would be happier.
vous biddonassiez Si vous biddonassiez moins, vous pourriez vous concentrer. If you were less silly, you could focus.
ils biddonassent S’ils biddonassent ensemble, ils s’amuseraient. If they were silly together, they would have fun.
elles biddonassent Si elles biddonassent plus fort, elles seraient plus drôles. If they were sillier, they would be funnier.

Other Conjugations for Bidonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bidonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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