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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb biffer

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The English translation of the French verb biffer is “to cross out” or “to strike through.” It is pronounced “bee-fay.”

Biffer comes from the Old French word “bifer,” which meant to hit or strike. In modern French, it is most often used in its infinitive form biffer, meaning “to cross out” or “to strike through.”

In everyday French, biffer is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with the respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je biffasse cette phrase. (I needed to cross out this sentence.)
  2. Elle souhaitait que nous biffions les noms des personnes absentes. (She wanted us to strike through the names of absent people.)
  3. J’espérais qu’il biffât mon nom de la liste. (I hoped he would cross out my name from the list.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je biffasse Si j’avais le temps, je biffasse toutes ces tâches. If I had the time, I would cross out all these tasks.
tu biffasses Tu te sentirais mieux si tu biffasses ces pensées négatives. You would feel better if you crossed out these negative thoughts.
il biffât Il serait satisfait si il biffât ces erreurs. He would be satisfied if he crossed out these mistakes.
elle biffât Elle serait plus organisée si elle biffât ses tâches accomplies. She would be more organized if she crossed out her completed tasks.
on biffât Il serait plus facile si on biffât les tâches complétées. It would be easier if one crossed out completed tasks.
nous biffassions Si nous biffassions toutes ces tâches, nous aurions plus de temps. If we crossed out all these tasks, we would have more time.
vous biffassiez Si vous biffassiez toutes ces erreurs, vous auriez un meilleur texte. If you crossed out all these mistakes, you would have a better text.
ils biffassent Si ils biffassent tous leurs rendez-vous manqués, ils auraient un emploi du temps plus clair. If they crossed out all their missed appointments, they would have a clearer schedule.
elles biffassent Si elles biffassent leurs mauvaises notes, elles auraient de meilleures moyennes. If they crossed out their bad grades, they would have better averages.

Other Conjugations for Biffer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb biffer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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