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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb brocanter

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The English translation of the French verb brocanter is “to haggle” or “to bargain.” The infinitive form of brocanter is pronounced as “bro-kan-tay.”

The word brocanter comes from the Old French word “broc” which means a “small piece of cloth” or “rag.” In the Middle Ages, brocanteurs were street merchants who sold second-hand or damaged goods. Over time, the meaning of the word evolved to refer to someone who bargains or haggles over the price of an item.

In everyday French, brocanter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is commonly used in conjunction with the conjunction “si” (if) to express a condition or possibility.

Three simple examples of brocanter in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with English translations are:

  1. Si j’avais su, je ne t’aurais pas brocanté sur le prix. (If I had known, I wouldn’t have haggled with you over the price.)
  2. Nous pensions qu’il brocantait avec nous, mais en fait il n’était pas intéressé. (We thought he was bargaining with us, but he wasn’t interested after all.)
  3. J’aimerais que tu brocantes avec le vendeur pour obtenir une meilleure offre. (I wish you would bargain with the seller to get a better deal.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je brocantasse Je brocantasse si j’avais plus de temps libre. I would go to flea markets if I had more free time.
tu brocantasses Tu brocantasses si tu étais intéressé. You would bargain if you were interested.
il brocantât Il serait content si il brocantât un objet rare. He would be happy if he bargained for a rare object.
elle brocantât Elle serait satisfaite si elle brocantât un meuble ancien. She would be satisfied if she bargained for an antique piece of furniture.
on brocantât On devrait brocantât plus souvent pour trouver des bonnes affaires. One should bargain more often to find good deals.
nous brocantassions Nous brocantassions ensemble, on pourrait échanger nos trouvailles. If we went to flea markets together, we could trade our finds.
vous brocantassiez Vous brocantassiez si vous aviez plus de place chez vous. You would bargain if you had more space at home.
ils brocantassent S’ils brocantassent plus souvent, ils économiseraient de l’argent. If they bargained more often, they would save money.
elles brocantassent Si elles brocantassent ensemble, elles pourraient se donner des conseils. If they bargained together, they could give each other advice.

Other Conjugations for Brocanter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brocanter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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