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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb boiter

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The English translation of the French verb boiter is “to limp.” The infinitive form, boiter, is pronounced “bwah-teh.”

The word boiter comes from the Latin word “battuere,” meaning “to strike.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and has been used in everyday French since then.

Boiter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action or state of being in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the conjunction “que.”

Here are three examples of boiter in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu boitasses moins vite. (I wished that you would limped less quickly.)
  2. Il fallait que nous boitassions ensemble. (It was necessary that we limped together.)
  3. Je préférais que vous boitassiez avec une béquille. (I preferred that you limped with a crutch.)

In all of these examples, boiter is used to express a hypothetical or desired action in the past, with the use of “que” indicating uncertainty.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je boitasse Je boitasse un peu à cause de ma blessure. I would limp a little because of my injury.
tu boitasses Si tu avais mal, tu boitasses aussi. If you were in pain, you would limp too.
il boitât Il m’a dit qu’il boitât quand il avait mal. He told me that he would limp when he was in pain.
elle boitât Elle boitât si elle avait mal. She would limp if she were in pain.
on boitât Si on boitât avec une jambe cassée, on pourrait pas marcher. If one would limp with a broken leg, one wouldn’t be able to walk.
nous boitassions Si nous boitassions moins, nous pourrions courir plus vite. If we limped less, we could run faster.
vous boitassiez Si vous boitassiez, vous pourriez vous blesser encore plus. If you would limp, you could hurt yourself even more.
ils boitassent S’ils boitassent, ils ne pourraient pas danser. If they would limp, they wouldn’t be able to dance.
elles boitassent Si elles boitassent, elles seraient fatiguées. If they would limp, they would be tired.

Other Conjugations for Boiter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb boiter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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