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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bouillotter

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The English translation of the French verb bouillotter is “to jostle” or “to bump”. It is pronounced as “boo-yuh-tay”.

The word bouillotter originated from the French noun “bouillotte”, which refers to a hot water bottle. The verb form came about as an onomatopoeic expression, mimicking the sound of water boiling in a pot.

In everyday French, bouillotter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a situation that is uncertain or hypothetical in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the conjunction “que” to express a wish, doubt, or recommendation.

Here are three examples of bouillotter used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je bouillotte pour trouver une place dans le métro. (I had to jostle to find a spot on the subway.)

  2. J’aimerais que tu ne bouillottes pas autant dans la foule. (I wish you wouldn’t bump into people so much in the crowd.)

  3. Il était recommandé que les enfants ne se bouillottent pas pendant le trajet en autobus. (It was recommended that the children not jostle each other during the bus ride.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bouillottasse Si je bouillottasse plus, je serais plus calme. If I were calmer, I would be less fidgety.
tu bouillottasses Si tu bouillottasses moins, tu dormirais mieux. If you fidgeted less, you would sleep better.
il bouillottât Il serait moins nerveux si il bouillottât moins. He would be less nervous if he fidgeted less.
elle bouillottât Si elle bouillottât moins, elle serait plus détendue. If she fidgeted less, she would be more relaxed.
on bouillottât Si on bouillottât trop, on ne pourrait pas se concentrer. If one fidgeted too much, one couldn’t concentrate.
nous bouillottassions Si nous bouillottassions ensemble, on serait plus calme. If we fidgeted together, we would be calmer.
vous bouillottassiez Si vous bouillottassiez moins, vous seriez plus concentrés. If you fidgeted less, you would be more focused.
ils bouillottassent S’ils bouillottassent trop, ils seraient très stressés. If they fidgeted too much, they would be very stressed.
elles bouillottassent Si elles bouillottassent moins, elles seraient plus détendues. If they fidgeted less, they would be more relaxed.

Other Conjugations for Bouillotter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bouillotter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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