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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bredouiller

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The English translation of the French verb bredouiller is “to mumble” or “to stammer.” The infinitive form of the verb is pronounced “breh-doo-ee-yay.”

The word bredouiller comes from the Old French word “bredouil,” which means “stammering.” It is derived from the Latin word “balbutire,” meaning “to stutter.”

In everyday French, the verb bredouiller is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by combining the subjunctive mood of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” with the imparfait tense of the main verb.

Here are three simple examples of how bredouiller is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il était possible que je bredouillasse pendant mon discours. (It was possible that I was mumbling during my speech.)

  2. Elle doutait qu’il bredouillât la réponse. (She doubted that he was stammering the answer.)

  3. Nous avions peur qu’ils bredouillassent lors de leur présentation. (We were afraid that they would mumble during their presentation.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bredouillasse Si j’étais nerveuse, je bredouillasse beaucoup. If I were nervous, I would stammer a lot.
tu bredouillasses Si tu me voyais, tu bredouillasses sans doute. If you saw me, you would probably stutter.
il bredouillât Il aurait peur s’il bredouillât devant le public. He would be scared if he stuttered in front of the audience.
elle bredouillât Elle serait embarrassée si elle bredouillât en français. She would be embarrassed if she stuttered in French.
on bredouillât Si on bredouillât moins, on serait plus compréhensible. If one didn’t stutter as much, one would be more understandable.
nous bredouillassions Si nous bredouillassions ensemble, ça serait difficile à comprendre. If we all stuttered together, it would be hard to understand.
vous bredouillassiez Si vous bredouillassiez moins, vous parleriez plus clairement. If you stuttered less, you would speak more clearly.
ils bredouillassent S’ils se sentaient nerveux, ils bredouillassent souvent. If they felt nervous, they would often stutter.
elles bredouillassent Si elles bredouillassent moins, ça serait plus facile à écouter. If they stuttered less, it would be easier to listen to.

Other Conjugations for Bredouiller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bredouiller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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