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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bourgeonner

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The English translation of the French verb bourgeonner is “to bud” or “to sprout.” It is pronounced as “boor-zhuh-neh.”

The word bourgeonner comes from the French noun bourgeon, which means “bud.” It is derived from the Old French word burgeon, which comes from the Latin word burra, meaning “bud” or “swelling.”

In everyday French, bourgeonner is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which conveys a sense of possibility or uncertainty in the past. It is typically used in hypothetical or conditional sentences.

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

  1. Si j’étais riche, je bourgeonnerais de projets de voyage. (If I were rich, I would be bursting with travel plans.)
  2. Il fallait que les fleurs bourgeonnent pour que le printemps arrive. (The flowers had to bud for spring to arrive.)
  3. Je voulais que mes enfants bourgeonnent dans un environnement sain et épanouissant. (I wanted my children to blossom in a healthy and nurturing environment.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bourgeonnasse Si j’avais le temps, je bourgeonnasse dans mon jardin. If I had time, I would bud in my garden.
tu bourgeonnasses Si tu avais plus de patience, tu bourgeonnasses en hiver. If you had more patience, you would bud in winter.
il bourgeonnât Il serait heureux si il bourgeonnât chaque printemps. He would be happy if he budded every spring.
elle bourgeonnât Elle serait ravie si elle bourgeonnât avec ses amis. She would be delighted if she budded with her friends.
on bourgeonnât Si on bourgeonnât ensemble, ça serait magnifique. If one budded together, it would be magnificent.
nous bourgeonnassions Si nous bourgeonnassions à temps, nous aurions de belles fleurs. If we budded on time, we would have beautiful flowers.
vous bourgeonnassiez Si vous bourgeonnassiez plus souvent, vous auriez un beau jardin. If you budded more often, you would have a beautiful garden.
ils bourgeonnassent S’ils bourgeonnassent chaque année, leur jardin serait splendide. If they budded every year, their garden would be splendid.
elles bourgeonnassent Si elles bourgeonnassent ensemble, elles auraient un beau jardin commun. If they budded together, they would have a beautiful shared garden.

Other Conjugations for Bourgeonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bourgeonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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