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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb biner

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The English translation of the French verb biner is “to weed.” It is pronounced “bee-nay.”

The language origin of biner can be traced back to the Old French word bener, meaning “to clean.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is commonly used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

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

  1. Il fallait que je binasse le jardin avant que les mauvaises herbes ne se propagent. (I had to weed the garden before the weeds spread.)

  2. Il était important que tu bines régulièrement pour que le jardin reste propre. (It was important that you weed regularly to keep the garden clean.)

  3. Nous cherchions quelqu’un qui binât le jardin pendant notre absence. (We were looking for someone to weed the garden while we were away.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je binasse Si j’étais plus fort, je binasse mieux. If I were stronger, I would hoe better.
tu binasses Si tu binasses plus souvent, tu aurais moins de mauvaises herbes. If you hoed more often, you would have fewer weeds.
il binât Il serait fier si il binât plus vite. He would be proud if he hoed faster.
elle binât Elle serait contente si elle binât ses légumes. She would be happy if she hoed her vegetables.
on binât Si on binât plus tôt, on aurait plus de temps pour se reposer. If one hoed earlier, one would have more time to rest.
nous binassions Si nous binassions ensemble, nous finirions plus vite. If we hoed together, we would finish faster.
vous binassiez Si vous binassiez sans relâche, le jardin serait impeccable. If you hoed relentlessly, the garden would be impeccable.
ils binassent S’ils binassent moins, ils auraient plus de mauvaises herbes. If they hoed less, they would have more weeds.
elles binassent Si elles binassent avec plus de soin, elles récolteraient plus. If they hoed more carefully, they would harvest more.

Other Conjugations for Biner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb biner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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