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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb brifer

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The English translation of the French verb brifer is “to bribe.” It is pronounced as “bree-fay.”

The verb brifer comes from the Old French word “briber,” meaning “to beg.” It later evolved to mean “to influence with money or gifts,” and eventually took on the modern meaning of “to bribe.”

In everyday French, brifer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is commonly used in legal or political contexts, where bribery is a common issue.

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

  1. Il fallait que je le brifasse pour qu’il témoigne en notre faveur. (I had to bribe him so that he would testify in our favor.)
  2. Il était possible qu’elle brifât le juge pour obtenir une peine plus légère. (It was possible that she would bribe the judge to get a lighter sentence.)
  3. Nous vous recommandons de ne pas brifer les agents de police lors de votre voyage en Afrique. (We advise you not to bribe the police officers during your trip to Africa.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je brifasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je brifasse mieux. If I had more time, I would brief better.
tu brifasses Si tu me suivais, tu brifasses plus vite. If you followed me, you would brief faster.
il brifât Il serait satisfait si il brifât correctement. He would be satisfied if he briefed correctly.
elle brifât Elle serait fière si elle brifât sans fautes. She would be proud if she briefed without mistakes.
on brifât Si on brifât plus souvent, on s’améliorerait. If one briefed more often, one would improve.
nous brifassions Si nous brifassions ensemble, ça serait plus efficace. If we briefed together, it would be more efficient.
vous brifassiez Si vous brifassiez avant le départ, rien ne manquerait. If you briefed before departure, nothing would be missing.
ils brifassent S’ils brifassent davantage, ils seraient mieux préparés. If they briefed more, they would be better prepared.
elles brifassent Si elles brifassent plus clairement, je comprendrais mieux. If they briefed more clearly, I would understand better.

Other Conjugations for Brifer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brifer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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