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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bondonner

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The English translation of the French verb bondonner is “to abandon” or “to desert.” It is pronounced “bawn-dawn-ay” in its infinitive form.

The language origin of bondonner can be traced back to the Old French word “bandone” which means “proclamation” or “command.” Over time, the meaning evolved to refer to a military order to leave a position or retreat. In modern usage, bondonner is most often used to describe leaving or abandoning someone or something, often in a sudden or careless manner.

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

  1. Il fallait que je bondonne mes amis pour aller travailler. (I had to abandon my friends to go to work.)

  2. Si tu n’avais pas bondonné tes études, tu serais maintenant médecin. (If you had not abandoned your studies, you would be a doctor now.)

  3. Il semblait que le chaton avait été bondonné par sa mère. (It seemed that the kitten had been abandoned by its mother.)

English translations:

  1. I had to leave my friends to go to work.

  2. If you had not dropped out of your studies, you would be a doctor now.

  3. It seemed that the kitten had been deserted by its mother.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bondonnasse Si je bondonnasse plus, je serais heureux. If I danced more, I would be happy.
tu bondonnasses Si tu bondonnasses avec moi, ce serait amusant. If you danced with me, it would be fun.
il bondonnât Il serait surpris si il bondonnât bien. He would be surprised if he danced well.
elle bondonnât Elle serait triste si elle bondonnât seule. She would be sad if she danced alone.
on bondonnât Si on bondonnât en public, ça serait gênant. If one danced in public, it would be embarrassing.
nous bondonnassions Si nous bondonnassions ensemble, nous nous amuserions. If we danced together, we would have fun.
vous bondonnassiez Si vous bondonnassiez avec moi, je serais flatté.e. If you danced with me, I would be flattered.
ils bondonnassent S’ils bondonnassent toute la nuit, ils seraient fatigués. If they danced all night, they would be tired.
elles bondonnassent Si elles bondonnassent mieux, je les féliciterais. If they danced better, I would congratulate them.

Other Conjugations for Bondonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bondonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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