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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bougonner

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The English translation of the French verb bougonner is “to grumble” or “to mutter.” It is pronounced “boo-gon-ay” in the infinitive form.

The word “bougonner” comes from the French word “bougon,” which means “grumbler” or “mutterer.” It is derived from the Old French word “bugon,” which comes from the Latin word “buccinare,” meaning “to trumpet” or “to blow.”

In everyday French, bougonner is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense. This tense is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action or state of being in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the word “que” (that) to introduce a subordinate clause.

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

  1. Il fallait que tu ne bougonnasses pas autant.
    (You shouldn’t have grumbled so much.)

  2. J’étais énervé qu’elle bougonnât tout le temps.
    (I was annoyed that she was grumbling all the time.)

  3. Elle préférait que nous bougonnassions ensemble plutôt que de se plaindre seule.
    (She preferred us grumbling together rather than complaining alone.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bougonnasse Si j’étais fatigué, je bougonnasse beaucoup. If I were tired, I would grumble a lot.
tu bougonnasses Si tu étais de bonne humeur, tu bougonnasses moins. If you were in a good mood, you would grumble less.
il bougonnât Si il était plus patient, il bougonnât moins. If he were more patient, he would grumble less.
elle bougonnât Si elle était plus compréhensive, elle bougonnât moins. If she were more understanding, she would grumble less.
on bougonnât Si on était tous ensemble, on bougonnât moins. If we were all together, we would grumble less.
nous bougonnassions Si nous étions plus calmes, nous bougonnassions moins. If we were more calm, we would grumble less.
vous bougonnassiez Si vous étiez plus patients, vous bougonnassiez moins. If you were more patient, you would grumble less.
ils bougonnassent Si ils avaient plus de temps, ils bougonnassent moins. If they had more time, they would grumble less.
elles bougonnassent Si elles s’entendaient mieux, elles bougonnassent moins. If they got along better, they would grumble less.

Other Conjugations for Bougonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bougonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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