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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bretteler

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The English translation of the French verb bretteler is “to hobble” or “to hobble along.” It is pronounced “breh-teh-leh.”

The language origin of bretteler can be traced back to the Old French word “bretel,” which meant “leather strap” or “harness.” Over time, it evolved to mean “to hobble” or “to tie one’s legs together.” In modern French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of bretteler in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je brettelasse pour aller à la montagne. (I had to hobble to go to the mountain.)
  2. Nous préférons que tu brettelasses plutôt que de courir avec cette blessure. (We prefer you hobble instead of running with this injury.)
  3. Je ne savais pas comment bretteler avec cette cheville foulée. (I didn’t know how to hobble with this sprained ankle.)

In these examples, bretteler is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. In the first sentence, the speaker may have had to hobble due to difficult terrain while going to the mountain. In the second sentence, the speaker is expressing a preference for hobbling rather than running with an injury. And in the third sentence, the speaker is uncertain of how to hobble with a sprained ankle.

Overall, bretteler is most often used in everyday French to express an action that is difficult or awkward due to physical limitations or obstacles. It may also be used in a figurative sense to express a situation that is challenging or difficult to navigate.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je brettelasse Si je portais mes bretelles, je brettelasse. If I wore my suspenders, I would suspend.
tu brettelasses Si tu n’oubliais pas tes bretelles, tu brettelasses. If you didn’t forget your suspenders, you would suspend.
il brettelât Si il mettait ses bretelles, il brettelât sa chemise. If he put on his suspenders, he would suspend his shirt.
elle brettelât Si elle brettelât sa robe, elle serait plus à l’aise. If she fastened her dress with suspenders, she would be more comfortable.
on brettelât Si on brettelât, on ressemblerait à un cowboy. If one wore suspenders, one would look like a cowboy.
nous brettelassions Si nous achetions des bretelles assorties, nous brettelassions ensemble. If we bought matching suspenders, we would suspend together.
vous brettelassiez Si vous brettelassiez, vous seriez plus élégant. If you wore suspenders, you would be more elegant.
ils brettelassent S’ils avaient des bretelles, ils brettelassent fièrement. If they had suspenders, they would proudly suspend.
elles brettelassent Si elles brettelassent, elles seraient à la mode. If they wore suspenders, they would be fashionable.

Other Conjugations for Bretteler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bretteler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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