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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb breveter

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The English translation of the French verb breveter is “to patent” or “to invent.” In French, the infinitive form of breveter is pronounced “breh-vuh-tey.”

The word breveter comes from the Latin word “brevetum” which means “letter of patent.” It entered French in the early 19th century and has been used in everyday language primarily in the sense of obtaining a patent for an invention.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, the verb breveter is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the conditional tense to express a conditional action in the past.

Example 1: Si j’avais breveté mon invention, je serais riche aujourd’hui. (If I had patented my invention, I would be rich today.)

Example 2: Il était important que nous brevetions notre découverte avant de la rendre publique. (It was important that we patented our discovery before making it public.)

Example 3: J’aurais aimé que tu brevetasses ton idée avant qu’elle ne soit volée. (I wish you had patented your idea before it was stolen.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je brevetasse Si j’avais su, je brevetasse cette idée. If I had known, I would have patented this idea.
tu brevetasses Si tu étais plus ambitieux, tu brevetasses plus d’inventions. If you were more ambitious, you would patent more inventions.
il brevetât Il créerait une entreprise s’il brevetât ses idées. He would start a company if he patented his ideas.
elle brevetât Elle serait riche si elle brevetât sa méthode. She would be rich if she patented her method.
on brevetât Si on brevetât ces technologies, on pourrait les protéger. If one patented these technologies, one could protect them.
nous brevetassions Nous réussirions mieux si nous brevetassions nos inventions. We would succeed better if we patented our inventions.
vous brevetassiez Si vous brevetassiez vos découvertes, vous gagneriez plus d’argent. If you patented your discoveries, you would earn more money.
ils brevetassent S’ils brevetassent leurs innovations, ils auraient plus de succès. If they patented their innovations, they would have more success.
elles brevetassent Si elles brevetassent ensemble, elles pourraient créer une grande entreprise. If they patented together, they could create a big company.

Other Conjugations for Breveter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb breveter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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