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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bituminer

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The English translation of the French verb bituminer is “to tar” or “to cover with tar.” The infinitive form, bituminer, is pronounced “bee-too-mee-nay.”

The origin of the word bituminer can be traced back to the Latin word “bitūmen,” which means “bitumen” or “asphalt.” In modern French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Some examples of its usage in this tense include:

  1. Il fallait que je bituminasse la route avant la pluie. (I had to tar the road before the rain.)

  2. Nous cherchions un entrepreneur qui bituminât notre allée. (We were looking for a contractor who would tar our driveway.)

  3. Si vous bituminiez cette partie du mur, il serait plus résistant. (If you tarred this part of the wall, it would be more durable.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bituminasse Je voudrais que je bituminasse les routes. I wish I could bituminize the roads.
tu bituminasses Si tu bituminasses plus souvent, les routes seraient meilleures. If you bituminized more often, the roads would be better.
il bituminât Il serait mieux si il bituminât la rue principale. It would be better if he bituminized the main street.
elle bituminât Elle serait heureuse si elle bituminât plus rapidement. She would be happy if she bituminized more quickly.
on bituminât Si on bituminât la route, on pourrait conduire plus vite. If one bituminized the road, one could drive faster.
nous bituminassions Si nous bituminassions plus souvent, les routes seraient plus durables. If we bituminized more often, the roads would be more durable.
vous bituminassiez Si vous bituminassiez ensemble, ça se ferait plus rapidement. If you bituminized together, it would get done more quickly.
ils bituminassent S’ils bituminassent tout le quartier, ça serait pratique. If they bituminized the whole neighborhood, it would be convenient.
elles bituminassent Si elles bituminassent tous les chemins, ça serait plus joli. If they bituminized all the paths, it would be prettier.

Other Conjugations for Bituminer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bituminer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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