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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb braver

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The English translation of the French verb braver is “to brave” or “to defy”. It is pronounced as “brah-vay” in its infinitive form.

Braver comes from the Old French verb “braver” which means “to challenge” or “to provoke”. It is derived from the Latin word “bravus” which means “valiant” or “courageous”.

In everyday French, the verb braver is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the word “que” to indicate a subjective or emotional opinion.

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

  1. Il fallait que je le bravasse pour défendre mon honneur. (I had to defy him to defend my honor.)

  2. Elle craignait que tu ne bravasses les dangers de la guerre. (She feared that you would brave the dangers of war.)

  3. Nous souhaiterions que vous bravassiez vos peurs et que vous preniez des risques. (We would like you to brave your fears and take risks.)

In these examples, the verb braver is used to express an uncertain or hypothetical action in the past, with a sense of determination or courage. Its use in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense adds a sense of doubt or subjectivity to the sentence.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bravasse Si j’avais plus de courage, je bravasse les dangers. If I had more courage, I would brave the dangers.
tu bravasses Si tu étais plus téméraire, tu bravasses les tempêtes. If you were more daring, you would brave the storms.
il bravât Il serait fier s’il bravât ses peurs. He would be proud if he braved his fears.
elle bravât Elle serait fière si elle bravât les obstacles. She would be proud if she braved the obstacles.
on bravât Si on bravât les difficultés, on réussirait. If one braved the difficulties, one would succeed.
nous bravassions Si nous bravassions nos ennemis, nous serions victorieux. If we braved our enemies, we would be victorious.
vous bravassiez Si vous bravassiez vos craintes, vous seriez libres. If you braved your fears, you would be free.
ils bravassent S’ils bravassent le danger, ils montreraient leur bravoure. If they braved the danger, they would show their bravery.
elles bravassent Si elles bravassent les règles, elles risqueraient des sanctions. If they braved the rules, they could face consequences.

Other Conjugations for Braver.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb braver
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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