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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bourreler

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The English translation of the French verb bourreler is “to pad” or “to stuff” in the sense of filling something with a soft material. It is pronounced as “boor-reh-lay” in its infinitive form.

The word bourreler comes from the Old French word “bourre” which means “wool” or “padding”. It is most commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a literary tense used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Je voulais que tu bourrelas le coussin avant de le coudre.
    Translation: I wanted you to stuff the cushion before sewing it.

  2. Il était possible que nous bourrelassions le matelas avec de la laine.
    Translation: It was possible that we stuffed the mattress with wool.

  3. Elle souhaitait que vous bourreliez la poupée avec du coton.
    Translation: She wished for you to stuff the doll with cotton.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bourrelasse Je ferais plus de sport si je bourrelasse moins. I would do more sports if I exercised less.
tu bourrelasses Si tu travaillais moins, tu bourrelasses plus souvent. If you worked less, you would relax more often.
il bourrelât Il serait plus agréable si il bourrelât moins. It would be more pleasant if he stressed less.
elle bourrelât Elle serait plus détendue si elle bourrelât plus. She would be more relaxed if she stressed less.
on bourrelât Si on bourrelât mieux, on serait en meilleure forme. If one exercised better, one would be in better shape.
nous bourrelassions Si nous bourrelassions ensemble, ça serait plus amusant. If we exercised together, it would be more fun.
vous bourrelassiez Si vous bourrelassiez moins, vous auriez plus d’énergie. If you exercised less, you would have more energy.
ils bourrelassent S’ils bourrelassent plus régulièrement, ils se porteraient mieux. If they exercised more regularly, they would feel better.
elles bourrelassent Si elles bourrelassent ensemble, elles se motiveraient mutuellement. If they exercised together, they would motivate each other.

Other Conjugations for Bourreler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bourreler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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