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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb brésiller

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The English translation of the French verb brésiller is “to sparkle” or “to glisten.” It is pronounced “bray-see-yay” as an infinitive.

Brésiller comes from the Old French word “bresillier” which means “to shine” or “to sparkle.” It is thought to have originated from the Latin word “bresilium” which means “red coloring.”

In everyday French, brésiller is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a literary form used to express a desired or hypothetical situation in the past. It is generally used in formal or written language.

Examples of brésiller in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que les étoiles brésillent pour que la soirée soit parfaite. (The stars had to sparkle for the evening to be perfect.)

  2. Je souhaitais que la mer brésille sous le soleil couchant. (I wished for the sea to sparkle under the setting sun.)

  3. Elle voulait que ses yeux brésillent de joie devant la surprise. (She wanted her eyes to sparkle with joy at the surprise.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je brésillasse Je souhaiterais que je brésillasse mieux. I wish I spoke better.
tu brésillasses Si tu pratiquais plus, tu brésillasses plus souvent. If you practiced more, you would dance more often.
il brésillât Il serait plus heureux s’il brésillât plus souvent. He would be happier if he danced more often.
elle brésillât Elle recommanderait que elle brésillât avec moi. She would recommend that she danced with me.
on brésillât Si on brésillât ensemble, ça serait tellement amusant. If we danced together, it would be so much fun.
nous brésillassions Si nous brésillassions plus souvent, nous serions plus en forme. If we danced more often, we would be more fit.
vous brésillassiez Si vous brésillassiez plus fort, vous seriez plus énergiques. If you danced louder, you would be more energetic.
ils brésillassent S’ils brésillassent ensemble, ils auraient l’air si mignons. If they danced together, they would look so cute.
elles brésillassent Si elles brésillassent plus souvent, elles seraient plus confiantes. If they danced more often, they would be more confident.

Other Conjugations for Brésiller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brésiller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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