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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb billebauder

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The English translation of the French verb billebauder is “to wander aimlessly.” It is pronounced as “bee-leh-bo-dair” in its infinitive form.

The origin of the word billebauder can be traced back to the Latin word “bilibare,” which means “to stagger.” In everyday French, billebauder 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 simple examples of billebauder in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je billebaude dans les rues pour trouver l’inspiration.
    (It was necessary for me to wander aimlessly in the streets to find inspiration.)

  2. J’aurais aimé que tu billebaudes avec moi cet après-midi.
    (I would have liked for you to wander aimlessly with me this afternoon.)

  3. S’il n’avait pas plu, nous aurions pu billebauder dans le parc toute la journée.
    (If it hadn’t rained, we could have wandered aimlessly in the park all day.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je billebautasse Si j’avais le temps, je billebautasse chaque jour. If I had the time, I would billebauder every day.
tu billebautasses Si tu billebautasses plus souvent, tu aurais plus d’amis. If you billebauded more often, you would have more friends.
il billebautât Il serait heureux s’il billebautât avec ses amis. He would be happy if he billebauded with his friends.
elle billebautât Elle serait triste si elle billebautât seule. She would be sad if she billebauded alone.
on billebautât Si on billebautât en anglais, on apprendrait plus vite. If one billebauded in English, one would learn faster.
nous billebautassions Si nous billebautassions ensemble, ça serait amusant. If we billebauded together, it would be fun.
vous billebautassiez Si vous billebautassiez moins, vous travailleriez plus. If you billebauded less, you would work more.
ils billebautassent S’ils billebautassent plus fort, je les entendrais de loin. If they billebauded louder, I would hear them from far away.
elles billebautassent Si elles billebautassent en public, ça serait gênant. If they billebauded in public, it would be embarrassing.

Other Conjugations for Billebauder.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb billebauder
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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