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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bosser

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The English translation of the French verb bosser is “to work” or “to hustle.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “bo-say.”

The origin of the word bosser can be traced back to the Latin word “buxa,” which means “box tree” or “wooden box.” In medieval French, it was used to refer to the act of cutting or carving wood, and eventually evolved to mean “to work” or “to labor.”

In everyday French, bosser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a desire, a possibility, or a hypothetical situation in the past. It is typically used after the conjunction “que” and is often accompanied by a verb in the present tense in the main clause.

Here are three simple examples of bosser in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je bosse plus dur pour réussir mes examens. (I had to work harder to pass my exams.)

  2. Je souhaitais que tu ne bosses pas trop tard ce soir. (I wished that you wouldn’t work too late tonight.)

  3. Elle aurait préféré que nous bossons ensemble sur ce projet. (She would have preferred for us to work together on this project.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bossasse Si je bossasse plus, je gagnerais plus d’argent. If I worked more, I would earn more money.
tu bossasses Si tu bossasses mieux, tu aurais une meilleure note. If you worked better, you would have a better grade.
il bossât Il serait plus heureux s’il bossât moins. He would be happier if he worked less.
elle bossât Elle serait moins stressée si elle bossât à son rythme. She would be less stressed if she worked at her own pace.
on bossât Si on bossât ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If we worked together, it would go faster.
nous bossassions Si nous bossassions plus efficacement, nous finirions plus tôt. If we worked more efficiently, we would finish earlier.
vous bossassiez Si vous bossassiez plus sérieusement, vous auriez plus de réussite. If you worked more seriously, you would have more success.
ils bossassent S’ils bossassent plus dur, ils auraient plus d’opportunités. If they worked harder, they would have more opportunities.
elles bossassent Si elles bossassent ensemble, elles avanceraient plus rapidement. If they worked together, they would progress more quickly.

Other Conjugations for Bosser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bosser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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