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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb biter

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The English translation of the French verb biter is “to bite.” It is pronounced as “bee-tay.”

Biter comes from the Old French word “bet,” which means “to bite” or “to sting.” It is derived from the Latin word “bitere,” meaning “to bite.” In modern French, biter is most often used in everyday speech to talk about the physical action of biting or stinging, but it can also be used figuratively to mean “to annoy” or “to irritate.”

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, biter is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. Il fallait que je bittasse la pomme pour vérifier si elle était bonne. (I had to take a bite of the apple to check if it was good.)
  2. Si tu ne bittais pas tes ongles, ils seraient moins abîmés. (If you didn’t bite your nails, they wouldn’t be so damaged.)
  3. Nous aurions pu rester plus longtemps à la plage si les moustiques ne nous avaient pas bités. (We could have stayed longer at the beach if the mosquitoes hadn’t bitten us.)

In these sentences, biter is conjugated in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express an uncertain or hypothetical action in the past. The translations reflect this nuance, with “had to,” “if,” and “could have” indicating the possibility or uncertainty of the actions described.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bitasse Si j’avais su, je bitasse beaucoup moins. If I had known, I would have bitten much less.
tu bitasses Si tu avais peur, tu bitasses trop. If you were afraid, you would have bitten too much.
il bitât Il serait calme s’il bitât moins. He would be calm if he bit less.
elle bitât Elle serait triste si elle bitât ses amis. She would be sad if she bit her friends.
on bitât Si on bitât plus doucement, on pourrait jouer. If one bit more gently, one could play.
nous bitassions Si nous bitassions moins, nous aurions moins de cicatrices. If we bit less, we would have fewer scars.
vous bitassiez Si vous bitassiez moins fort, vous ne feriez pas autant de bruit. If you bit less hard, you wouldn’t make so much noise.
ils bitassent S’ils bitassent comme ça, ils se feraient mal. If they bit like that, they would hurt themselves.
elles bitassent Si elles bitassent moins, elles auraient de meilleures dents. If they bit less, they would have better teeth.

Other Conjugations for Biter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb biter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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