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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb braquer

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The English translation of the French verb braquer is “to aim” or “to point.” It is pronounced as “bra-keh.”

The word braquer comes from the Old French word “braque,” meaning a gun or a target, which is derived from the Middle Dutch word “braecke,” meaning a breech or a gunstock. It is most commonly used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a desired or hypothetical action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu braques ton appareil photo vers le coucher de soleil. (I would have liked it if you had aimed your camera at the sunset.)

  2. Il fallait que je braque mon doigt vers le bouton rouge pour allumer la machine. (I had to aim my finger at the red button to turn on the machine.)

  3. Nous souhaitions que vous braquiez votre regard vers l’horizon lointain. (We wished for you to aim your gaze towards the distant horizon.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je braquasse Si j’étais un voleur, je braquasse une banque. If I were a robber, I would hold up a bank.
tu braquasses Si tu étudies plus, tu braquasses mieux. If you studied more, you would handle better.
il braquât Il serait content si il braquât le volant avec précaution. He would be happy if he handled the steering wheel with caution.
elle braquât Elle serait surprise si elle braquât bien. She would be surprised if she handled well.
on braquât Si on braquât l’arme correctement, on pourrait tirer. If one aimed the weapon correctly, one could shoot.
nous braquassions Si nous braquassions nos efforts vers un but commun, nous réussirions. If we focused our efforts toward a common goal, we would succeed.
vous braquassiez Si vous braquassiez moins souvent, vous auriez plus de variété. If you held up less often, you would have more variety.
ils braquassent S’ils braquassent plus tôt, ils auraient évité l’accident. If they had aimed sooner, they would have avoided the accident.
elles braquassent Si elles braquassent en même temps, elles seraient plus efficaces. If they aimed at the same time, they would be more effective.

Other Conjugations for Braquer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb braquer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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