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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bonimenter

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The English translation of the French verb bonimenter is “to embellish/to tell tall tales.” It is pronounced as boh-nee-mon-tay.

The word bonimenter comes from the French word “boniment,” which means “tale/story.” It is a combination of the words “bon” (good) and “mentir” (to lie), which reflects the idea of creating exaggerated or false stories.

In everyday French, bonimenter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb “avoir” in the imperfect form, followed by the past participle of bonimenter (bonimenté).

3 examples of bonimenter in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il aurait bonimenté pour impressionner ses amis.
    (He would have told tall tales to impress his friends.)

  2. J’aurais bonimenté si j’avais été seul avec elle.
    (I would have embellished if I had been alone with her.)

  3. Elle aurait bonimenté si elle avait su que j’étais là.
    (She would have lied if she had known I was there.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bonimentasse Je serais plus convaincant si je bonimentasse mieux. I would be more convincing if I spoke better.
tu bonimentasses Tu aurais plus de succès si tu bonimentasses plus souvent. You would have more success if you spoke more often.
il bonimentât Il serait charmé si il bonimentât comme un pro. He would be charmed if he spoke like a pro.
elle bonimentât Elle serait impressionnée si elle bonimentât avec aisance. She would be impressed if she spoke with ease.
on bonimentât Si on bonimentât avec humour, on serait plus apprécié. If one spoke with humor, one would be more appreciated.
nous bonimentassions Si nous bonimentassions ensemble, on serait imbattables. If we spoke together, we would be unbeatable.
vous bonimentassiez Si vous bonimentassiez moins, vous auriez plus de crédibilité. If you spoke less, you would have more credibility.
ils bonimentassent S’ils bonimentassent plus lentement, je comprendrais mieux. If they spoke more slowly, I would understand better.
elles bonimentassent Si elles bonimentassent ensemble, ça serait amusant. If they spoke together, it would be fun.

Other Conjugations for Bonimenter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bonimenter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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