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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bouder

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The English translation of the French verb bouder is “to sulk.” The infinitive form is pronounced “boo-deh.”

Bouder comes from the Old French word “boul,” meaning “proud, haughty,” and was originally used in the sense of being stubborn or obstinate. Today, it is most often used in everyday French to describe someone who is pouting or sulking due to being upset or offended.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, bouder is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation in the past. It is often used with the conjunction “si” (if).

Example 1: Si tu ne m’avais pas bouder, je serais venu te voir. (If you hadn’t sulked at me, I would have come to see you.)

Example 2: J’aurais aimé qu’il n’ait pas bouder toute la soirée. (I wish he hadn’t sulked the whole evening.)

Example 3: Si elle n’avait pas bouder, elle aurait pu profiter de la fête. (If she hadn’t sulked, she could have enjoyed the party.)

English translations:

  1. If you hadn’t sulked at me, I would have come to see you.
  2. I wish he hadn’t sulked the whole evening.
  3. If she hadn’t sulked, she could have enjoyed the party.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je boudasse Si j’étais triste, je boudasse toute la journée. If I were sad, I would pout all day.
tu boudasses Si tu étais là, tu boudasses avec moi. If you were here, you would pout with me.
il boudât Il serait fâché si il boudât ainsi. He would be angry if he pouted like that.
elle boudât Elle boudât tout le temps si elle était boudeuse. She would pout all the time if she were sulky.
on boudât Si on boudât moins, on serait plus heureux. If one pouted less, one would be happier.
nous boudassions Si nous boudassions ensemble, ça serait drôle. If we pouted together, it would be funny.
vous boudassiez Si vous boudassiez moins, vous vous amuseriez plus. If you pouted less, you would have more fun.
ils boudassent S’ils boudassent trop, je ne voudrais pas les voir. If they pouted too much, I wouldn’t want to see them.
elles boudassent Si elles boudassent toute la journée, personne ne les aimerait. If they pouted all day, no one would like them.

Other Conjugations for Bouder.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bouder
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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